In the eyes of Cafu, the debate over the greatest of all time should not be limited to a mere trio, as he insists on adding a fellow Brazilian superstar to the ranks of Pele, Maradona, and Messi. For the former AC Milan and Roma full-back, these players represent the “art” of the sport, moving beyond mere statistics to provide pure entertainment.
Speaking to The World in an interview, Cafu was emphatic about his selection. “These are players who made history, who left their mark, who were world champions. And players who played with incredible ease. They played with the ball; they didn’t strain to dribble, they didn’t strain to shoot, they didn’t strain to score. It was so beautiful to watch them play,” he explained.
“I love the art of football. And Maradona is the art of football. Messi is the art of football. Pele is the art of football. Ronaldinho is the art of football. So, when I see those players who do something different, who make our eyes light up, I really enjoy it.”
Pushed on whether Ronaldinho truly belongs in the same bracket as Messi, Maradona and Pele, Cafu was steadfast: “There are four of them (GOAT). I put these four on the same level. The four best in history. Two Brazilians, two Argentines. From the era I watched football, these four players truly made and continue to make the difference in the game.”
