Wesley Sneijder has stated that he was capable of being just as brilliant as players like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but he was unwilling to give up a “glass of wine at dinner” and was unable to make the same sacrifices.
The Dutch midfielder, who is now retired, had a stellar career and was regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.
While Messi and Ronaldo were more focused on advancing to higher levels, the now 35-year-old, who saw success with teams like Real Madrid and Inter Milan, told Italian outlet Gianluca DiMarzio that he cherished his life.
Wesley Sneijder says he could have been as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Sneijder said: ‘I could have become like Messi or Ronaldo. I simply didn’t feel like it.’
He added: ‘I enjoyed my life, maybe I had a glass at dinner (of wine) at dinner. Leo and Cristiano are different, they have made many sacrifices.
‘And that’s fine with me, my career however, was still amazing.’
After winning one Eredivisie championship with Ajax to begin his professional career, Sneijder signed a £24 million contract to join Real Madrid in 2007.
Over the course of two seasons, the Dutchman made 66 appearances and contributed to Madrid’s La Liga championship in 2007–08.
However, his most memorable moments are likely from his time at Inter Milan, when he was a member of the renowned treble-winning 2009–10 team led by Jose Mourinho, which won the Champions League, the Coppa Italia, and the Serie A title following a 2-0 victory against Bayern Munich.
Messi has won a host of team and personal trophies including six Ballon d’Or awards
In addition, he motivated his nation to go to the World Cup final in South Africa, where it was defeated 1-0 by Spain.
After spending £13 million to join Inter under Jose Mourinho in August 2009, Sneijder made 116 appearances for the team before suffering injuries in his final season. He then went on to play in Qatar with Galatasary, Nice, and Al-Gharafa.
Sneijder’s personal accolades included winning the UEFA Midfielder of the Year award in 2009–10, the World Cup Silver Ball, and the Bronze Boot for his exploits and goals during the 2010 World Cup.
The two players combined to win 11 Ballon d’Or medals, but the midfielder was unable to match their individual success.
