LeBron James got high praise from Cristiano Ronaldo with a little dig
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James received an unexpected recognition from a global football icon Cristiano Ronaldowho combined admiration with playful comment on the hair. In a two-part interview with Piers Morgan, the second part of which was published on Thursday, the 40-year-old Portuguese forward recognized James as an athlete who inspires him, noting their shared age and continued performances at world-class level.
Ronaldo, captain of Saudi Pro League side Al-Nasr, said:
“In basketball, there is LeBron James, who is my age. I met him, he is a good guy, but I have more hair than him! (laughs). He is still in excellent physical condition and still plays. There is also Luka Modrić, about my age, and maybe Novak Djokovic.”
The sports media has long joked about James’ well-documented thinning hair, which this wiseguy alluded to.
The parallel between James and Ronaldo is striking. Both made their professional debuts around the same time, Ronaldo in 2002 and James in 2003, and both continue to perform at the highest levels of their sports at 40 years old. James is a four-time NBA champion and one of the league’s most durable players, while Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and the top scorer of all soccer goals. Each set records and inspired younger generations through discipline, consistency and longevity.
James’ current season has started with some challenges. He missed the Lakers’ season opener with sciatica and has yet to appear in a game this season. However, recent updates indicate that James has made significant progress in his rehabilitation, even resuming contact basketball activities. The Lakers plan to reevaluate him with team doctors in the next week or two.
however, Los Angeles has had a great start to the 2025 season. The team has a 7-2 record, is the second seed in the Western Conference and has won its last five games. With a perfect 4-0 record on the road, the Lakers hope to continue their unblemished streak and go 5-0 against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
2025-11-07 08:18:00
