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Former UEFA Champions League winner Wesley Sneijder once opened up about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and made an interesting statement while comparing his career to theirs.
The former Real Madrid and Inter star admitted that he could have become like the superstar duo, but he wasn't willing to make the sacrifices that both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo made to reach the top.
"I could’ve become like Messi or Ronaldo, I just didn’t feel like it. I enjoyed life. Messi and Cristiano were different, they have made a lot of sacrifices. And I am ok with that, still my career was amazing," Wesley Sneijder said, via GianlucadiMarzio.com.
Among other trophies, Wesley Sneijder won the La Liga with the Merengues in 2008, but his best years were with Inter Milan. He claimed every trophy he competed for, including the UEFA Champions League in 2010. He was also a runner-up for the Ballon d'Or award, while he finished second and third in the FIFA World Cup with the Netherlands in 2010 and 2014, respectively.
Wesley Sneijder says he has no regrets about his career; addresses losing Ballon d'Or to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Like we said, Wesley Sneijder accomplished everything in his career, and won several major trophies. Even though he had the potential to become as great as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were, he chose a different path.
Still, he admitted that he had no regrets about his career, while he wasn't too disappointed that he lost the Ballon d'Or award to Messi and Ronaldo, as it was more important to him that he had won the UEFA Champions League.
"I enjoyed my footballing career as it was, both on and off the pitch. I won every trophy I could win at club level, so I have no regrets at all. I am a team player, and I like to be successful as a team. People still approach me to tell me that they feel I should have won the Ballon d'Or in 2010, but I keep telling them that winning the Champions League was nicer than an individual trophy. Of course, it would have been the icing on the cake, but it's satisfying enough that people tell me I should have won it," Sneijder once said, via Bleacher Report.
The former UCL winner has now retired from football, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continue to play. Both have acommplished everything in their respective careers, and are part of the GOAT conversation. Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, while Messi has won the award eight times.
