Ronaldo & Ricardinho: Portugal’s incomparable goal kings
Ricardinho, the futsal superstar with 183 caps for Portugal, has been likened to a hybrid version of his footballing compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi Photograph: Christopher Ryman
“THIS IS one of the biggest problems we see in humanity. We take too long comparing instead of enjoying...”
Ricardinho doesn’t mess around.
He told me straight. I’d tried to nudge Portugal’s micro magician into delivering a snap verdict on the perennial football GOAT question – Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? – during a fascinating interview in 2019 with the six-times best men’s futsal player in the world.
“Please enjoy,” implored futsal’s iconic R10. “We will never know when we are going to witness players like Ronaldo and Messi again.”
Video: Ricardinho tells Jamie Fahey his thoughts on being compared to Messi and Ronaldo
This message comes across loud and clear in the Portugal chapter of Futsal: The Story of an Indoor Football Revolution.
But it flashed up in my mind again when O Magico’s unrivalled high-end international game nous on court helped the futsal seleção top group C in the 2021 futsal World Cup, with Ricardinho managing to eclipse his footballing counterpart Cristiano along the way by soaring clear in the number of caps for his country.
With Jorge Braz’s men ready to do battle for a place in the last 8 of the tournament against Serbia, Ricardinho’s international tally stands at 183 caps and 140 goals.
Not that I’m comparing, of course. That’s not my game.
It’s just that Cristiano Ronaldo’s 180th cap came two weeks earlier, against Ireland – along with the two match-winning strikes that took the imperious footballing goal machine past Iran’s Ali Daei as record goalscorer in international men’s football, with 111 in 180 matches.
For context, Cristiano and Ricardinho – both 36 years young – have some way to go to hit the heights of some other stars of their sport. Christine Sinclair, the Canadian women’s footballer, leaves Cristiano trailing after racking up 187 goals in 304 international games.
In futsal, the record international goalscorer is, of course, the man Ricardinho honours with a tattoo on his left calf: Brazil’s Falcão, the “Pelé of futsal”, whose two strikes against Paraguay in 2018 left his record as an incredible 401 goals in 258 matches – a hat-trick of hat-tricks ahead of the prolific Iranian pivot, Vahid Shamsaei.
And in terms of longevity, the ex-Benfica futsal legend Arnaldo Pereira amassed 208 caps (and 98 goals) for his country over nearly two decades.
“No, it would be worse if you compare me with António or Pedro … comparing me with Ronaldo and Messi just gives me reasons to be happy!” Ricardinho
Again, there’s no intent to compare players here. Merely an attempt to “enjoy” and celebrate their kindred achievements.
A bit like Jorge Braz, the Portugal futsal men’s team head coach, once did when I spoke to him in 2018.
“Ricardinho is even more than [Cristiano] Ronaldo to futsal,” Braz told me. “There is no Messi in futsal. I always say, if you joined Ronaldo and Messi, that’s how Ricardinho is in futsal. Ricardinho is the best in futsal because he does the simple things better than anyone. He can dribble, pass, defend. All of it.
“He has that left foot, that fantastic relation with the ball [like Messi]. But he always has the strength, the fantastic knowledge of the game, the preparation, the way he works, the way he trains, it’s like Ronaldo.”
Of course, it won’t only be Ricardinho who might readily demur at the sight of a comparison between him and Ronaldo.
Futsal connoisseurs who decry any attempt to draw parallels between 11-a-side football and futsal will also no doubt make their feelings known (the comments section is open).
Nevertheless, in honour of the Portuguese superstars who captained their respective national teams to Euro glory within 18 months of each other, here’s a bit more about their relative achievements – a contrast, if you like – in their chosen sports.
Captains fantastic
Ricardinho
Age 36. Born 3rd Sept 1985
Club ACCS (France). Position ala/winger
Portugal debut 2003. Caps 183. Goals 140
Trophies 1 Uefa Euros, 2018; 3 Champions Leagues; 13 national league titles (Portugal, Japan, Spain)
Awards Best player of the world 6 times
Career highlight Captaining the seleção to Euros glory in 2018 despite hobbling off injured in the final
Ronaldo
Age 36. Born 5th Feb 1985
Club Manchester United (England). Position forward
Portugal debut 2003. Caps 180. Goals 111
Trophies 1 Uefa Euros 2016; 5 Champions Leagues; 7 national league titles (England, Spain, Italy)
Awards Ballon d’Or 5 times
Career highlight Captaining the seleção to Euros glory in 2016 despite hobbling off injured in the final
What they say about futsal
Ricardinho:
“I tried to play football and ‘they’ told me I was too small to play it. And when futsal chose me, I said, if this is what I’m going to play I want to be the best at it … No, it would be worse if you compare me with António or Pedro, comparing me with Ronaldo and Messi just gives me reasons to be happy!”
Ronaldo:
“During my childhood in Portugal, all we played was futsal. The small playing area helped me improve my close control, and whenever I played futsal I felt free. If it wasn't for futsal, I wouldn't be the player I am today."
What Ricardinho says about Messi and Ronaldo
“If you want to me to tell you some things I like about them I would say that I like Ronaldo’s work ethics, always trying to exceed himself, going abroad like I did to Japan, going to Lisbon or Porto with not enough conditions to do it. I went to Lisbon to show who I was and make some money to help my parents.
“If you want me to compare myself with them in that regard, I would say that I’m more a Ronaldo-type of player, but in the game, I like having the ball glued to my feet, with short dribbles, I would see myself as Messi. Because Ronaldo’s game is totally different from Messi’s. Ronaldo is an elegant and bigger type of player, scores headers, is more complete.
“And I’m not like that, yes I feel more complete defending and attacking but my way of play it would be normal to be compared to Messi, because I’m a leftie, I’m tiny, with short dribbles.”
the verdict
Ricardinho and Ronaldo are simply incomparable. Both special in different ways. Like futsal and football…
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