Arsenal star Mesut Ozil claims the Real Madrid talisman made him a better player on the pitch and will go down as one of the greatest players in history.
The Germany international recently hailed the Portuguese goal machine as one of the greatest players in history in an interview with the official Gunners’ media channel. The Arsenal star was full of praise for Ronaldo, hailing his professionalism, his ability with both feet and his goal scoring prowess.
Ozil provided 27 assists for Cristiano Ronaldo during his three-year stint at Real Madrid. However, he maintains that it was Ronaldo who helped inspire him to be a better player.
“Cristiano Ronaldo, I never saw one guy like him,” Ozil told the official Arsenal YouTube channel. “He made me better on the pitch. Of course, I give my assists, a lot, to him and he knows. But I really enjoyed playing with him because he does not need a lot of chances.
“So even if I give him two assists, he will score two. Amazing player. One of the greatest players in history.”
Ozil has been one of the brightest stars at Arsenal after his club record £42.5 million move to the Emirates. One of the Gunners’ priorities right now is extending his contract, with Arsene Wenger and the club hierarchy reportedly willing to give him mammoth wages to ensure he commits his future to the club.
The move from Real to Arsenal was not without controversy, as many of Los Blancos’ players were furious at the departure of the stylish midfielder. Ronaldo was one of them, and the Portuguese had even publicly stated at the time that he was angry about Ozil leaving.
In his career thus far, the king of assists has topped the assist charts in the Bundesliga, La Liga, Premier League and the 2012 European Championships. It is not surprising that a predatory goalscorer such as Ronaldo would miss such a world class provider.
While Ozil states that Ronaldo made him better, the Real Madrid superstar himself will surely feel nostalgic about the times when he was the beneficiary of the German’s vision and precision.
