Capello says Ronaldo lacks natural genius.

Former Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo does not measure up to Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Ronaldo Nazario in terms of natural footballing brilliance.

CBI News reports that Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, with many fans and pundits placing him at the very top because of his remarkable achievements, longevity and goal-scoring records.

However, speaking on Egyptian television channel ON Sport during the Hat-trick programme, Capello offered a different perspective on how the Portuguese superstar compares with other legends of the game.

The retired Italian coach argued that while Ronaldo is an exceptional athlete and prolific scorer, he lacks the innate genius that defines Messi, Maradona and the Brazilian Ronaldo.

“Cristiano is a top goal-scorer and a fantastic athlete, but he doesn’t have the special talent of Messi, Maradona, or Ronaldo Nazario,” Capello said, according to Kooora.com.

“The cleverness that the others had is missing in Cristiano. He can’t be compared to those three."

Capello, who retired from coaching in 2018, enjoyed a distinguished managerial career that included a spell at Real Madrid, where he worked closely with Ronaldo Nazario.

He is also remembered for attempting to sign an 18-year-old Lionel Messi for Juventus after the Argentine impressed in a friendly appearance for Barcelona against the Italian club.

Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, has consistently described himself as the greatest footballer of all time.

The Portugal captain is currently just 39 goals away from becoming the first player in history to reach 1,000 official career goals.