‘Never Madly in Love With Cristiano Ronaldo’, Portuguese Star Snubs CR7 While Picking Lionel Messi’s Childhood Hero as Favorite Player

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are enormous names in soccer. We can rarely find a fan who doesn’t idolize at least one of them. However, the emerging Portuguese women’s star dropped a bombshell by snubbing the superstars as her favorites. Instead, she chose a forgotten former Argentine hero as her favorite.

Her choice will surprise many, especially snubbing fellow countryman Ronaldo. So what made her snub the two GOATs and go for the Argentine, who fans once touted to be the next Diego Maradona?

Portuguese star snubs Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Portugal’s women’s team made history this year. Their victory over Cameroon in the intercontinental playoffs sealed their World Cup qualification. They will play in the quadrennial tournament for the first time in their history. Portugal is in Group E with the USWNT, the Netherlands, and Vietnam. Among the stars there, Kika Nazareth played a crucial role in the team’s qualifying campaign.

The 20-year-old recently sat down with the Portuguese publication A Bola to discuss various aspects. When asked about her favorite soccer star, Kika came up with a surprising choice. She named former Argentina star Pablo Aimar her favorite, ahead of Ronaldo and Messi.

Kika said, “I was never madly in love with Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi.” “I think I had a reference, and seeing him play so many times, nowadays I can say that I identify a little with him: a genius, that number 10 figure that I love in football,” the Portuguese added. 

“I’m talking about Aimar. Aimar is a genius. It’s number 10. Maybe he had thinner legs than mine, and he did what he did. He solved games. He saw things that nobody else saw, and I think that’s really beautiful. It’s the beauty of football. Football is so beautiful. It’s so amazing. It really is the best show in the world,” the Benfica starlet said.

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Who is Pablo Aimar?

Aimar is a former Argentine attacking midfielder. He is currently an assistant coach of the Argentina national team, which won the World Cup last year. Fans know Aimar for his stints with Valencia and Benfica. His skills on the pitch drew comparisons with Argentine legend Diego Maradona. However, injuries plagued his development.

Lionel Messi once revealed that Aimar was his childhood idol and had a massive influence on him. And now Nazareth too has chosen the Benfica club legend as her idol because he was known for his dribbling skills and technical ability.

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Let us know your thoughts on Pablo Aimar’s playing career.