When asked if Cristiano Ronaldo could beat him in a race, Usain Bolt didn’t hesitate to respond.
While Bolt’s legendary 100m world record remains unchallenged, the thought of racing against one of football’s fastest players sparks curiosity.
The now-retired Jamaican sprinter, who still holds the world records for both the 100 and 200 meters from his 2009 performances, is an eight-time Olympic gold medallist and a huge fan of the Portuguese icon. In a 2020 interview, Bolt admitted that Ronaldo would present a formidable challenge over a short distance, making for an exciting hypothetical matchup.
“To me, he trains every day. He’s a super athlete, you know what I mean?”
“He’s always on top of his game. He works hard, he’s focused.
“So now, I definitely think he’s faster than me.”
Ronaldo is still plying his trade with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League at the age of 39, while Bolt opted to retire from elite racing at 31.
Bolt competed from 2008 to 2016 and is still renowned as one of the greatest athletes of all time due to his phenomenal accomplishments on the track during that time.
A recent 3D simulation showed how fast he would be compared to Ronaldo, with not-so-surprising results.
The now 37-year-old easily beat the former Manchester United star but it was a beast who proved to be the quickest of the group.
The video shows just how fast an ostrich would be alongside Bolt and Ronaldo, with the former coming out on top in a disconcerting three-way race.
Bolt and Ronaldo have a long-standing association with Manchester United, with the latter last playing for the club in November 2022.
“For me, it’s sad to see him go,” Bolt told Sky Sports following the 39-year-old’s departure from Old Trafford.
“He played such an important role for us last season.
“I think he kept us in the Premier League because in a lot of the games he was the one who scored, kept us in the competition and gave us three points.
“It’s sad to see him go, but I understand why after listening to his interview, that there’s a lot going on that many of us don’t know about.”
Cristiano Ronaldo recently sent a special message to Usain Bolt, proposing a race between the two sports icons. In his message, Ronaldo said: “Usain, I have always been a great admirer of yours and it would be an honor to race against you. Let’s make it happen and show the world who is the fastest.”
Ronaldo’s proposal has generated great excitement among sports fans around the world, and everyone is now eagerly awaiting to see if this epic race between the two great athletes will become a reality.