Amancio Amaro, Emilio Butragueno, Pirri and Francisco Gento have together praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence in Real Madrid top goalscorers’ list.
Ronaldo’s hat-trick at the weekend against Sevilla saw him draw level with Gento on 182 strikes for Madrid.
Having reached the tally in just 179 games, the Portuguese is listed in the club’s top 10 list of all-time goalscorers with the best scoring rate, averaging 1.02 a game.
“Watching Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch is a delight,” Gento told Madrid’s official website in a joint interview alongside Amancio, Butragueno [pictured], Pirri and Ronaldo himself.
“He’s a unique player that will mark a period with all of the goals he’s scoring. I would have loved to have played with him.
“Having spent 18 years at Real Madrid and having won 23 titles is very important to me. It’s always nice to be able to tell my children and grandchildren that I’m a part of the club’s goals-scoring legend.”
Amancio sits 10th on the list with 155 goals scored from 417 apperances.
“Remembering it and seeing your name together with those nine players is always good, but seeing the current trajectory of the players you realize that with the goals you’ve scored you’re on the list for just a little while,” commented the 73-year-old.
“The goals that Ronaldo has scored so far, and that we hope he keeps scoring, in just the short time that he’s been a part of this club, is clear evidence that he’s a wonderful player with incredible power.
“At the rate he’s going he’ll beat all the records and could even surpass Alfredo Di Stefano.”
Current director at Madrid Butragueno is ninth on the scoring chart, having totalled 171 goals across 11 years in the senior team.
“We’re extremely proud that Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Real. He’s an amazing player and I hope he stays that way for years because he’s very important to us,” the 49-year-old Spaniard enthused.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is amazing. We’re extremely proud that he plays for Real. His ambition is perhaps one of his greatest virtues.
“He wants to get better and he takes each game as if it’s a personal challenge. Having a player that guarantees a goal per game is a problem for rivals because it means that they have to score two to win.
“Very few teams throughout history can claim the same. I hope he stays that way for years because he’s very important to us.”
Jose Martinez Sanchez, better known as Pirri, is the only non-attacking player still on the top 10 list, having played for Los Blancos as a defender but still netted 172 goals.
“I was never a forward. I started as a defensive midfielder and later I played defense. Sharing a part of Real’s history along with these great players and to be one of the club’s ten top-scorers is an honour and a joy.
“Ronaldo is a fantastic player. Not only is he a born striker with both feet but for me he’s also the most complete player in the world. He’s powerful, fast, vertical, he jumps high for headers, he’s got a great strike and an enormous ability on the sides, he works hard, defends…”
