This archive report was first published on 7 June 2020.
Published on June 7, 2020, Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch midfielder, has spoken about his career and what could have been. The 35-year-old, who retired in 2019, claimed he could have been on the same level as Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, but a weakness for wine held him back.
Speaking to an Italian outlet, Gianluca DiMarzio, Sneijder said he did not make the same sacrifices as Ronaldo or Messi in his stellar career. He explained, "I could have become like Messi or Ronaldo. I simply didn't feel like it. I enjoyed my life, maybe I had a glass [of wine] at dinner."
Despite not competing with the individual success of Ronaldo and Messi, who have won 11 Ballon d'Or trophies between them, Sneijder enjoyed a stellar career that included spells with Ajax, Real Madrid, Inter, and Galatasaray. He was at the peak of his powers when he helped Netherlands cruise to the World Cup final in 2010, where he picked up the Silver Ball for the tournament.
As a creative and versatile midfielder, Sneijder has been recognised as one of the classic playmakers of the 2010s. He earned the reputation as a dead-ball specialist, with impeccable placement and the ability to score from free-kicks. Sneijder was renowned for his powerful striking ability from long range, with either foot.
