‘Cristiano Ronaldo is the best… but, Bale is more complete,’ says former Real Madrid star Casemiro

Cristiano Ronaldo defined a legendary era at Real Madrid, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer and winning multiple titles as the standout figure. Despite this, Casemiro made a comparison between the Portuguese star and Gareth Bale, explaining the differences between both. He also chose the Welshman as the most complete player he has played with in his career, while still making it clear that the 41-year-old star holds unquestionable legendary status.

“(Bale) is the most complete player (that I have played with) in my career. Cristiano scores, Cristiano has 15 goals. Minimum 15 goals. But Bale attacks, defends, heads, scores, fouls. Cristiano is the best. Cristiano is the best. Cristiano is another one. Cristiano gives the… Take Cristiano off the conversation. But for me, Bale is the best, more complete. Everything, he does very good, very quick. Too strong,” Casemiro said, via Rio Ferdinand Presents.

Despite Gareth Bale being one of the most important Real Madrid players in recent years, he has often been a rather controversial figure among fans. Due to his lack of a charismatic public image and his numerous injuries, the Welshman was frequently viewed as a problem within the squad. Nevertheless, he recorded 106 goals and 68 assists, proving decisive in many finals and key moments—something very few have achieved at the club.

Far from Casemiro’s comparison being a criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian star was aiming to acknowledge Bale’s huge impact on the team. Although the Welshman was an attacking player, he contributed significantly to multiple phases of the game, becoming a key structural piece within the system. In doing so, he helped elevate Cristiano, as instead of competing with him, he complemented him, forming the iconic ‘BBC’ alongside Karim Benzema.

Cristiano and Bale do not compete for a legacy at Real Madrid

Throughout his time at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale managed to adapt to the team’s needs, becoming the perfect complement to Cristiano Ronaldo, who emerged as the club’s main figure. Having both players excelling through their pace, Los Blancos secured four Champions League titles with them leading the attack. Because of this, they are not competing against each other for a legacy at the club, as they have instead built a shared and highly successful one.

Cristiano and Bale played 157 games together at Real Madrid, which resulted in 41 combined goal contributions. Beyond the statistics and trophies, both managed to build strong on-field chemistry, developing several automatisms that allowed them to dominate for multiple years. While the Portuguese star is the club’s greatest legend, the Welshman stands out as a key player in a golden era for the team, being crucial for the club’s history, but at different levels.