Cristiano Ronaldo has said he is a “different” player than Liverpool’s emerging star Mohamed Salah, the Real Madrid attacker told BT Sport ahead of their Champions League final clash on Saturday.
Salah has scored 44 goals in all competitions this season, going one better than Ronaldo’s 43 and thereby drawing comparisons to the world’s best players.
But Ronaldo said it’s impossible to compare himself with Salah for a number of reasons — including their height difference.
“People want to compare me with other players, I am different to everyone. Salah is different to everyone. So we are different,” said Ronaldo, who stands about 12 centimeters (5 inches) above the Egyptian.
“He plays with the left, I play with the right, I’m tall, he’s a little bit shorter. I play with my head, you know — we are completely different. But I have to say he has had a fantastic season, but Saturday, let’s see.”
Salah will make his debut in a European final, but Ronaldo could become the first player to lift the Champions League trophy five times, a landmark that he said excites him.
“It is a special competition, in terms of me as an individual. I love to play in the Champions League,” he said in an interview that will air on Friday.
“It will be a dream if we, and I personally win my fifth Champions League. It will be unbelievable. I just want to be focused on Saturday and try to win this amazing trophy.”
