In a sporting gesture that brings together tennis giants and football legends, Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, the world's number one ranked player, revealed his personal list of the five best players in football history. These selections reflect the great passion that "El Matador" has for the world's most popular sport, reaffirming his unwavering loyalty to Real Madrid, a passion he inherited from his idol and inspiration, retired tennis legend Rafael Nadal.
Ronaldo leads the way... and Real Madrid loyalty prevails
It was no surprise that Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo , captain of Saudi club Al-Nassr, topped Alcaraz's list. The Spanish star sees the "Madeira Rocket" as the ideal model of the complete athlete, not only because he is Real Madrid's all-time top scorer and the highest-scoring official player in the history of the game, but also because of the winning mentality and determination to stay at the top that he embodies – qualities Alcaraz tries to implement on the tennis courts.
The list also included veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos , the former historic captain of Real Madrid, who represents fighting spirit and leadership, followed by Croatian star Luka Modric , who had an experience with AC Milan at the end of his European career, and whom Alcaraz considers an example of genius and continuity.
The magic of samba asserts itself
Despite his unequivocal Real Madrid allegiance, Alcaraz displayed remarkable sportsmanship and good taste by selecting two of the most prominent stars of arch-rivals Barcelona and Brazilian football. He placed the legendary Ronaldinho , a player who commanded applause even from opposing fans, in fourth place, and concluded the list with Neymar da Silva , the current Santos player, reflecting Alcaraz's appreciation for the individual skill and sheer joy these stars brought to the game.
Alcaraz 2025: Absolute dominance and a postponed dream
These statements come at a time when Carlos Alcaraz is at the peak of his sporting career, having finished 2025 as the world's number one ranked tennis player. This year saw him add to his collection with the French Open and US Open titles, bringing his Grand Slam tally to six (two Wimbledon titles, two US Open titles, and two French Open titles).
While Alcaraz continues to make history, the Australian Open remains the ultimate goal and the missing piece in the puzzle of his professional career, as he strives to achieve it to complete the Grand Slam, cementing himself as one of the greatest to ever hold a racket in the history of the game.
The intersection of stars from different sports, as seen in Alcaraz's choices, confirms that sporting greatness is a common universal language, as tennis champions draw inspiration from football legends on their journey towards sporting immortality.
