Antonio Cassano labels Cristiano Ronaldo “a manufactured talent” and praises Lionel Messi

Antonio Cassano has been wading into the age-old debate about the respective merits of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in comments carried by Diario AS.

Cassano, who retired in 2017, labelled Ronaldo “a manufactured talent” and asserted that Messi is someone “we’ll never see again” likening him to figures like Roger Federer, Michael Jordan and Diego Maradona.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is a manufactured talent,” Cassano said. “You notice it on social networks where you see him doing sit-ups with his children. There’s so much talk about him, less about Messi, but in football they are two completely different things. CR7 is very strong, but he’s built his talent.

“Messi, on the other hand, is Federer, Jordan, Maradona. He’s something we’ll never see again in life, he has immense talent that’s a gift from nature. I often hear that Messi played with phenomena at Barcelona. I remember Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta, and, in the beginning, Ronaldinho. But Messi also made players like Pedro, Dani Alves, [Javi] Mascherano and others champions.”

“He made many players grow with his talent. Ronaldo’s goal is to score goals, he doesn’t give a damn about the team or contributing assists. Messi, on the other hand, makes the whole team grow and he’s my idol.”

Cassano, born in Bari, enjoyed a long and colourful career across the European game. He began his career with Bari before spells with Roma, Real Madrid, Sampdoria, Milan, Internazionale, Parma and Hellas Verona. He also represented Italy.

Cassano spent two years in Madrid, serving as part of the team that won La Liga in 2007. His time in the Spanish capital was tumultuous, however, and he spent his second season at the Santiago Bernabeu on loan at Sampdoria.

Tags Antonio Cassano Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi Real Madrid

58 Comments

    1. Cassano, you were a footballer but who ever talks about you? Whether Ronaldo is a manufactured Talent or what, he is up there with Messi. If you were to talk about a natural gift, there is Ronaldinho, CR7 and Messi don’t even come close to him.

    1. Its funny for him to say that and I’m doubting if he was a player or more of a sub. Anyways it is his opinion and I believe he wants to create awareness by saying that.

    1. Be sincere with yourself what will you remember him for.
      If it’s easy to manufacture oneself, he would have done it. He is a failure and cannot speak in such manner of CR7

        1. In fact he’s a failure if manufacturing oneself is that easy why didn’t he do same himself? When they are forgotten they try to let people remember them by giving this kind of useless interviews

  1. Who has the highest assist in uefa champions league? Think before you talk, you like him, no doubt but read your stats before post. CR7 is a good example to all, ” hardwork and dedication”. Would you advice someone to be hard working or naturally working??? He ties with ” mangers can be made!

  2. I really get disturbed when people say funny things about Cr7’s talent. Lionel and Ronaldo are both talented and can fit into any team as part of the starting XI because they are different in the way they play. Antonio Cassano should come back and apologise because through out his career, he never came close to what Cr7 is doing now and can never be compared to the player of the century. Whether manufactured or not, he always score the goals and win the titles.

  3. yes they are different , but in terms of making others champions, even Ronaldo made it, example look Portugal team, look how much nomber assist Ronaldo made. Ronaldo he contribute and making assist, the good one

  4. The so-called Cassano is a foolish man to labelled Ronaldo as a “manufactured talent”. What about him? Stupid talk and foolish blogger

  5. If one manufactured a light that perfectly competes with God-made sun, then that man is also a good. Messi is said to be God-made talent while Cristiano manufactured himself.

  6. And that is the fact.
    To thise insulting Cassano, who have ever scored more than 15 goals in his life time?
    Tell me what is wrong about what is He said?
    CR7 goals scoring or Messi’s assist and making the team?
    Think before you comment.

    1. It doesn’t matter even if he’s scored nothing, he knows better than you. He’s played with them, pure talent, that’s what Messi is, as for Ronaldo, my grandfather is better than him. He’s only a marathon runner.

  7. He talked rubbish and out of jealousy for CR7. He beat messi for balond’or , and also equalled and overtook Messi in Champions league goals..Messi is 100% talented, while CR7 is 80% talented and beefed it with hard work and achieved what Messi couldn’t achieve. They are both great players with different approach football in different ways.

  8. The moment he says Messi is his idol, all judgement goes out the window. Who cares if he had a God given talent when God usually does NOT join him in any final, for club and country, since at least 2015. Cr7, two years older, and without a God given talent LOL, , has won several in the last 5 years., Now, when was the interview conducted?. was it in 2014 or in 2020? If it is the latter, then he chose th wrong idol.

  9. Such dumb comments really only goes on to show the mentality of people. I would rather go for a hardworking player that a so called ‘god gifted’ player. So as per cassano’s comments if messi is ‘god gifted’ that means his career has been running on luck due to gods grace all this while? Then I am sure messi should not be needing any training sessions as he can just sit on his ‘gift’ received from god and directly step onto the pitch to play without any practice sessions. If messi was not born with the so called god gift then he would be doing a 9 to 5 job today and CR7 would still be CR7 due to his hardwork and dedication. I was a neutral fan of both messi and Cristiano and used to respect messi but due to constant criticism of CR7 by messi fans, i have started to hate messi !!

    1. A lot of you watch football and think it is just about one person scoring….if that was the case, Maradona and the likes won’t be in the shout for greatest players of all time. It transcends just being a goal scorer which today that is what CR7 is. Gerd muller was also a great scorer, so was Puskas and their likes.

      But there is an effort that goes into what culminates as a goal. CR7 is at the end of the chain only. Others do the work in the middle and sets him up to score.

      Messi on the other hand does both the creating and scoring…..let me put it into perspective for you.

      In CR7s teams he is the Aguero……while Messi is both Aguero and Debruyne. Once they said Messi relied on Xavi and Iniesta, this is true their presence limited his requirement in the middle. Now that both are gone, He has to be both Xavi, Iniesta and Messi.

      So like I said football isn’t all about goals…..A Haaland could one day surpass all available scoring numbers……but Maradona will still be better because, people that play and understand football know good when they see good, then know legend when they see one. CR7 is a great goal scorer, but he is doing nothing no one else couldn’t do. The others Pele, Maradona and Messi…….simply do and see what others can’t.

      1. This has been the best comment have heard so far… thanks to you for outlining all that…some talk just because their favorite player is Ronaldo but don’t seem to understand the burden each one of them carries out for is own team…since we lost xavi and inesta you can see how deep Messi drops just to make sure he creates chances…he does all the work for Barca…not much in defending but he has been the playmaker for Barca since xavi and inesta left also scoring goals for is team…each one is entitled to is own opinion…but when you see the truth…then say the truth….you can see the current state of Barca… whenever Messi drops down to the middle then there is a goal because he’s provides clear chances for his players to score..even if he doesn’t score himself he provides the assist…

  10. Don’t even think or compare about to mention CR7 weekness. You don’t even have such achivement even after your motivation. He is the best player of the century that Number 10 will never get in his dream.

  11. All the more reason CR7 is more valuable. The fact that he developed himself to achieve greatness (when most fail to do so) is the greater talent there is!

  12. But antonio cassano didn’t have talent at all. In fact was he playing soccer or cricket??
    If not jealousy have not hear someone one with manufactured talent and is doing things that the gifted talent can not do

  13. Talent is what you do on pitch and what you achieve both club and national. So how can the pure talent can’t beat the manufactured talent in any stage?? Messi after the 8:2 defeat said “I am not CR7 who can take up the world on his shoulders” and u say he is manufactured. Any way cassano never got a talent

  14. I think cassano should learn how to take stock before talking about something he knows nothing about cr7 has always been a champion were ever he goes and he,s the most successful player in the history of UCL I mean ever since the name was changed from European cup to champions League I think cassano also played in the era of UCL and could no even win one UCL title and he has the god’s to refer to a five time winner and also the highest goal scorer of the competition a manufactured talent, well I don’t like to abuse people but he should to thing critically before saying anything..thanks

  15. Cassano, you were a footballer but who ever talks about you? Whether Ronaldo is a manufactured Talent or what, he is up there with Messi. If you were to talk about a natural gift, there is Ronaldinho, CR7 and Messi don’t even come close to him.

  16. I wonder why Cassano and the Likes if Ibrahimovic who say Ronaldo is a manufactured talent didn’t manufacture themselves too, who doesn’t want to be like him?

  17. It is either Antonio is playing the hate game or jealous or he probably doesn’t know football. He just publicly and shamelessly stated the opposite from the fact

  18. Cassano is 100% right. .Christiano aim is to compete with Messi whiles Messi doesn’t have a competior ..Messi has a natural talent.

  19. Stupid Cassanova!!
    Go f*** harlots cause your mouth is wider than a harlots p****
    Dickhead son of a bitch watching his talented idol cry after 8.2 defeat
    You both are stupid and should only be rewarded as failures.
    You should be Messi’s idol instead

  20. A God given talent who has failed in 3 finals hahahah maybe such talent was out of coverage area. Useless Messi. Only club oriented

    1. Your a fool to say that because you know nothing about football…all you watch is the back of your tv

  21. Wasn’t surprised. I knew the Spanish media will start their ridiculous agenda against cr7 for winning player of the century. Ironically Messis talents have expired. Lazy ppl

  22. Only lazy ppl don’t look at cr7 at Manchester United. Only guy whom any dumbass reporters and useless players with their corrupt eufa and fifa presidents can publicly disgrace and go Scot free.

  23. Messi was able to play and succeed in Barcelona because of the players around him. The real heroes of Barcelona have been Ronaldinho, Iniesta, Xavi.
    Messi will be a sure shot failure outside the Barcelona setup. He remained stuck to one team because he was scared to take risk and try his “so called god gifted” talent in other Leagues.

    As for Cassano he is a failed so called footballer. His career record itself has been pathetic to say the least and he has the balls to pass judgement on someone who is way above him in skills and accomplishments.

    Ronaldo feeds on the criticism from people like you, that’s what makes him the “Greatest Of All Times”. The more you hate him the greater he will become..

  24. Ronaldo I know! Messi I know too, but who is this Cassano? Is he “manufactured” from ‘Cassava’? What an impudent puke he is to speak of the GOAT in this manner? He is just being hateful

  25. This has been the best comment have heard so far… thanks to you for outlining all that…some talk just because their favorite player is Ronaldo but don’t seem to understand the burden each one of them carries out for is own team…since we lost xavi and inesta you can see how deep Messi drops just to make sure he creates chances…he does all the work for Barca…not much in defending but he has been the playmaker for Barca since xavi and inesta left also scoring goals for is team…each one is entitled to is own opinion…but when you see the truth…then say the truth….you can see the current state of Barca… whenever Messi drops down to the middle then there is a goal because he’s provides clear chances for his players to score..even if he doesn’t score himself he provides the assist…

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