Cristiano Ronaldo: 'I am the best player in the world'

Cristiano Ronaldo during the Euro 2016 Group F game between Portugal and Iceland on June 14, 2016
© AFP
Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo regards himself as "the best player in the world".

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he regards himself as "the best player in the world".

The 31-year-old has scored 490 goals in 679 appearances during his professional career, which started at Sporting Lisbon before joining Real Madrid from Manchester United in the summer of 2009.

Ronaldo has also scored 66 times in 135 appearances for Portugal, who he helped win Euro 2016 during the summer.

It has long been debated whether Ronaldo or Barcelona's Lionel Messi is the best player in the world, but the Real Madrid forward is in no doubt.

"In my head, I am the best player in the world," Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "And I am working very hard every day with the ambition to be the strongest. It is then up to others to judge me. I always want to improve myself. I am very motivated and I believe that is the key behind my success on the pitch."

Ronaldo has only scored once in four league appearances for Real Madrid this season, but did net five times for Portugal during the recent international break.

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