'Eusebio should not be sad' says Cristiano Ronaldo as comparison debate rages in Portugal

The Real Madrid forward overtook his countryman's tally for the national team last month

Cristiano Ronaldo scores against Northern Ireland (GETTY IMAGES)

Portugal great Eusebio should not be saddened by 'normal' comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo because records are meant to be broken, Ronaldo said today after Eusebio confessed to being upset by a public discussion on who is the best.

A wide debate erupted in the football-crazed country when Ronaldo, 28, overtook 71-year-old Eusebio last month to go second on the country's list of top marksmen.

"I think it's not worth going that way (feeling sad), records are meant to be broken. We should not be sad," he told reporters at the medieval town of Obidos, where the national squad is training, when asked about Eusebio's reaction.

"I feel easy because Eusebio will always be Eusebio and Cristiano will be Cristiano. It's normal that people compare us but Eusebio should not be sad because he'll always be up there."

Ronaldo reached 43 goals in 106 internationals after his hat-trick earned Portugal a 4-2 comeback win over Northern Ireland in last month's World Cup qualifier.

Eusebio said he was subject to an unfair comparison because he had played fewer matches than Ronaldo. The 'Black Panther' scored 41 goals in 64 matches.

Ronaldo, the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year, said he wanted to keep rewriting football's history books.

"What I want is to try and play 100 more games with Portugal because nobody will be sad this way," said Ronaldo, who will probably also beat Luis Figo's record of 127 international caps.

Reuters