A raw and fearless defender during his hustling days, former Real Madrid and Portuguese international, Pepe —who defended the honour of his badge with unapologetic relentlessness — stated that it was much tougher to deal with Cristiano Ronaldo than Lionel Messi.
“I have to say Cristiano Ronaldo because I train with him. I know how difficult it is (to deal with him), so I have to choose him. Also, I have always had him as a team-mate,” a smiling Pepe told RevSportz during a pre-match press conference here in Mumbai.
One of the last of his breed of defenders who relished a good scuffle without shying away from showing his primal instincts, Pepe left Real Madrid in 2017 to join Beşiktaş on a free transfer. However, a year later, he moved back to his former club Porto, where he hung up his boots at the end of last season after Portugal’s Euro campaign came crashing down at the hands of France on penalties.
In the Champions League, he faced Ronaldo as a Juventus player in 2021, but it was the Portuguese side led by Pepe’s resolute defending that dashed Ronaldo & Co.’s hopes, winning the tie on away goals in a 4-4 aggregate contest over two legs.
“In the last years of my career, I have been able to face him in the Champions League,” he added, before going on to defend his choice. “I chose Cristiano because he has been a footballer who has fought and given a lot to Real Madrid. He has given a lot to Manchester United, Juventus, and the Portuguese national team. He has always won a lot of matches. I know what it’s like training with him. He has worked very hard,” he said.
Pepe, along with other El Clásico legends such as Luís Figo, Michael Owen, Rivaldo, Xavi, and Carles Puyol, will take the field in a Legends face-off between Real Madrid and Barcelona on Sunday at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
He was also joined by Fernando Morientes, Javier Saviola, and José Edmílson during the conference.
Pepe spoke at length about his defending days and the intensity of El Clásico during the managerial eras of José Mourinho and Pep Guardiola — a period when the rivalry between the two clubs peaked, with tactical battles, competition between Messi and Ronaldo, fights between players, and overwhelming passion from the fans.
“Every Clásico against Barcelona was always something special. But when Mourinho and Guardiola were there, it was something else. Things heated up. It was intense not just on the pitch, but around it. Those years in Spain — what Cristiano and Messi did — was spectacular. I lived it from the inside, and it was a gift for the fans, for the players,” he added.
While former Barça player Edmílson highlighted how a nation like India, which is still trying to find its footing in the world of football, can improve in its quest to rank among the best.
“There are a lot of matters to deal with before having to get the technique to be a good football player. India has to deal with education in trainers and also checking the kids’ ambitions,” Edmílson, like others, conveyed his comment through the translator.
“Because before creating a good player, they have to create a good man, and that’s very important. In a lot of places, kids dream about becoming players. But there are a lot of societal problems that have to be solved before that,” he continued.
Regardless of the current status of football in the country, every one of the legends present at the conference was happy to take part in an El Clásico match here in India. “I’m happy to be here,” Pepe added. “Even as a Legends game, this match can mean a lot for Indian football. It can inspire kids to play and to dream. And if it brings more investment, more infrastructure, then we’re proud to be part of that.”