RIO FERDINAND joked that Cristiano Ronaldo was a “b*****d” after the Portugal star made a subtle dig towards football’s biggest legends.
Ronaldo has stated that the availability of footage of his goals gives him the edge over the goalscoring icons of yesteryear.
Rio Ferdinand was the first guest on Cristiano Ronaldo’s new YouTube channel
The Portugal captain explained why his new target of 1,000 goals will count for more than previous goalscoring legends
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner reached a career tally of 899 goals after netting a free-kick for Saudi club Al Nassr on Tuesday.
Pele is considered the highest goalscorer of all time by some, with Fifa crediting the late Brazil legend with 1,281 goals.
But the Brazilian Guinness world record holder amassed his haul with the help of around 550 exhibition and amateur matches.
His total in official career matches is 762, leading to a long-standing debate over which records are most credible.
And without naming names, Ronaldo, 39, told former Manchester United team-mate and friend Ferdinand why his goals matter more.
Ronaldo said on his new YouTube channel: “Soon I will do 900 and, after, I will beat 1,000.
“I want to reach 1,000 goals. If I don’t have injuries, this, for me, is the most important. I want that.
“It’s the best marker I can have in football. There will be one difference: all of my goals have videos, so I can prove that.”
Ferdinand, 45, immediately burst out in laughter saying: “You’re a b*****d. You’re talking about Alfredo Di Stefano, Pele, Eusebio.”
Ronaldo did not confirm but doubled down on the joke by adding: “If you want more goals, I can bring them from training too.”
The duo then concluded that Ronaldo would have to play until at least 41 years old to reach his new target of 1,000 goals.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has hit the back of the net on 838 official occasions.
Then, grinning cheekily, Ronaldo and Ferdinand reminisced about how they had seen their longtime friend Nani cry after a few games.
The renowned Real Madrid star made his retirement plans public on Thursday, stating that he will not give any notice before hanging up his boots.
The five-time Champions League winner’s £62 million-a-year contract with Al Nassr is scheduled to expire in the summer of 2019.