“If you want to understand why Cristiano Ronaldo deserves this award, go back to 2008. People talk about his legacy today, but I want them to remember the monster he was at 23 years old. That version of Cristiano was terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. He had the speed, power, dribbling, headers, free kicks and the mentality of a man who believed nobody could stop him. Defenders were scared before the game even started. You could have the perfect defensive plan, and he would still destroy you. In 2008, he scored 42 goals, won the Premier League and Champions League with Manchester United, and won the Ballon d’Or. At that age, he was already playing like a man who wanted to conquer football itself. This is the player Real Madrid broke the bank to sign. They knew they weren’t buying an ordinary superstar. They were buying a man who could change their history, and he did exactly that. When people compare him with Messi, I respect Messi. He is extraordinary, but we must remember the Barcelona team around him. Xavi and Iniesta controlled games, dictated the tempo and made that team almost impossible to stop. Sometimes, Messi gets all the credit for a dominance built by an incredible generation of footballers. Cristiano, meanwhile, proved himself in different systems, with different teammates and in different leagues. He adapted, reinvented himself and kept scoring when people thought his best days were behind him. That is what makes his career so frightening. And I will say something controversial: I don’t believe every Ballon d’Or Messi won was deserved. There were years when Cristiano had a stronger case, but people were so fascinated by Messi that they refused to see it. For me, 2008 was the beginning of something extraordinary. Cristiano wasn’t just winning matches; he was announcing himself as a player capable of dominating an entire era. If the B.O.A.T. award is about greatness, dominance, mentality and changing football history, then Cristiano Ronaldo has every reason to stand above everybody else.” #CristianoRonaldo , #JoséMourinho , #BOATaword , - @kaysmith_soccertalk