Luis Suarez names the 5 greatest strikers of all time: Messi but no Ronaldo…
Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t make the cut when Luis Suarez recently named his five greatest strikers of all time.
There’s a debate about whether Suarez himself is in this conversation, but the Uruguayan didn’t choose to include himself in the list either.
During an interview with Bleacher Report, the Inter Miami star was asked to name his top five greatest strikers and these were the players he selected.
5. Romario
“Number five is Romario,” Suarez said. “[The] finish time for him is amazing.”
The Brazilian scored over 700 official goals during his illustrious career, making him one of the most prolific players in football history.
He’s also one of a select few players who has scored over 100 goals for three separate clubs, having reached that tally with PSV, Flamengo and Vasco da Gama.
For Barcelona, Romario scored 39 goals in 65 appearances, averaging a strike every 139 minutes. For context, Suarez scored a goal every 122 minutes on average for Barcelona.
4. Ronaldo Nazario
“Then Ronaldo, the Brazilian Ronaldo. He’s really good,” Suarez said.
“He’s so quick, he’s so fast. He’s an intelligent guy, a really good player.”
Regarded by many as the best player of his generation, who knows what levels he could’ve reached had it not been for injuries.
The two-time Ballon d’Or winner scored 371 goals in just 580 appearances throughout his career, averaging a goal every 123 minutes.
He was a force to be reckoned with during his peak years and was arguably the most lethal player on his entire list during his heyday.
3. Diego Forlan
“For me, he’s one of the best,” is how Suarez described his former international teammate.
“I played with him, [he’s a] really good striker, he played for the team. He liked to shoot from wherever you want. He’s really good and he’s number three.”
Forlan enjoyed his peak years playing in La Liga for Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, but it was his performances for the national team that made him a hero in Uruguay.
He was practically unplayable during the 2010 World Cup as he swept most of the individual accolades, winning the Player of the Tournament, Golden Boot and Goal of the Tournament awards for his heroics in South Africa.
The following year he then played an instrumental role in Uruguay’s Copa America triumph in 2011.
After Suarez scored the opening goal against Paraguay in the final, Forlan scored a brace to wrap the game up. It’s no wonder he’s adored by his nation.
2. Gabriel Batistuta
“Number two is Batistuta. [My] favourite player when I was a child,” Suarez explained.
“Really good number nine, he took free-kicks, I loved his character as well.”
Given that Suarez was growing up in the nineties, it’s no surprise that a player like Batistuta captured his imagination.
The Argentine forward enjoyed his peak years playing for Fiorentina, where he scored 204 goals in just 331 appearances. That’s quite the record.
1. Lionel Messi
“Number one for me is Messi.”
While we wouldn’t classify Messi as an out-and-out striker like the other names on this list, we can hardly begrudge Suarez for giving him the top spot.
As of writing, Suarez has played 285 games alongside the Argentine wizard and the pair have combined for 113 goals during that time.
“Messi is the best in history,” Suarez told Onda Cero in 2017. “He is also a spectacular human being who welcomed me very well when I got to Barcelona.”
The pair still share a close bond at Inter Miami today and will no doubt combine for plenty of goals this season too.
READ NEXT: Ronaldo Nazario names his 11 best players in the history of football
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every team Luis Suarez scored against for Liverpool?