Cristiano Ronaldo stirred up controversy in his latest YouTube video, where he played a game of “Who Is Better?” with Rio Ferdinand, sparking debate by choosing Kylian Mbappé over his former Real Madrid teammate, Karim Benzema.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo, who has played alongside football greats at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and for the Portuguese national team, was asked to pick between two players across multiple categories by Ferdinand. While the five-time Ballon d’Or winner often gave predictable answers — selecting Paul Scholes over Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs over David Beckham — it was his choice of Mbappé over Benzema that raised eyebrows.
Ronaldo and Benzema spent nine years together at Real Madrid, featuring in 342 matches as one of the most successful attacking duos in football history. Despite this, Ronaldo opted for Mbappé, a player he has only faced five times during his career, including three international fixtures.
Ronaldo’s decision is surprising, given Benzema’s stellar 2022 season, where he won the Ballon d’Or and dominated as top scorer in both LaLiga and the Champions League. Yet, Ronaldo appeared to be more impressed by Mbappé’s impact on the game, even with their limited encounters.
The YouTube video, part of Ronaldo’s new channel which has amassed an incredible 59 million subscribers in just two weeks, is sure to keep fans talking about his unexpected picks.Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent YouTube video, featuring a game of “Who Is Better?” with Rio Ferdinand, has sparked significant debate among football fans. In this episode, Ronaldo made headlines by choosing Kylian Mbappé over his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema, a decision that surprised many.
Ronaldo, at 39 years old, has had a storied career, playing alongside some of the greatest footballers at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and the Portuguese national team. During the game, Ferdinand posed various head-to-head comparisons, with Ronaldo making some predictable choices, such as picking Paul Scholes over Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs over David Beckham. However, it was his selection of Mbappé over Benzema that caught most people off guard.
Ronaldo and Benzema formed a formidable attacking partnership at Real Madrid, playing together for nine years and participating in 342 matches as one of the most successful duos in football history. Given this history, Ronaldo’s choice of Mbappé—a player he has only faced five times, three of which were in international fixtures—raised eyebrows.
This decision is particularly surprising considering Benzema’s incredible 2022 season, where he won the Ballon d’Or and was the top scorer in both LaLiga and the Champions League. Despite Benzema’s accolades, Ronaldo seemed more impressed by Mbappé’s explosive style and impact on the game, which perhaps reflects the Frenchman’s rapid rise and his influence on the future of football.
The video, released on Ronaldo’s newly launched YouTube channel, has already garnered substantial attention. His channel has amassed an astounding 59 million subscribers in just two weeks, proving that Ronaldo’s influence extends beyond the pitch and into the digital realm. His unexpected picks and the resulting fan discussions are sure to keep the football community buzzing for some time.
