Was 28-Year-Old Marco van Basten Really Better Than Ronaldo?
Was 28-Year-Old Marco van Basten Really Better Than Ronaldo?
By Arnab Kabir | Sports | September 8, 2023
Midnight, sometime in 1992. Marco van Basten wakes up abruptly. He needs to go to the bathroom, but he's curled up in pain. His ankle injury, one he’s carried since the age of 20, has become unbearable.
Just two years prior, he had won the Ballon d'Or. He had already been selected for FIFA's Best XI. By the age of 26, Van Basten had already claimed three Ballon d'Or trophies. He wasn’t just a footballing hero anymore—he was walking toward legend status.
But that walk ended at just 28 years old. In 1993, in the Champions League final at Munich’s Olympic Stadium, Van Basten played his last professional match. AC Milan lost to Marseille that night. The next two years were spent battling his injury. Eventually, he had to concede defeat to his failing ankle and retire from football.
But let’s not focus on the injury. Let’s examine a recent statement made by Van Basten himself. He said:
“If you compare Cristiano Ronaldo’s career with mine, I believe I come pretty close. I might even have surpassed him. But due to continuous injuries, I couldn't continue my career.”
At the time of this article, Cristiano Ronaldo is 38. That means he’s had ten more years of football than Van Basten. Although he's now playing outside Europe, at Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, he's still going strong. But how valid is Van Basten’s claim? Let’s analyze their careers up to age 28.
Van Basten: A Technical Prodigy with Unfulfilled Potential
Van Basten was unlike most players. Dutch by nationality, he’s often compared with legendary Italians. He began his career at Ajax and moved to AC Milan in the 1987-88 season. Standing at 188 cm, he was a traditional striker, but with extraordinary ball control and technique. Some even placed him ahead of Ronaldo Nazário in terms of finesse.
From 1987 to 1989, his career hit its peak. He won Euro 1988 with the Netherlands, scoring five goals—including a legendary volley against the Soviet Union in the final. That same season, he lifted his first European Cup with AC Milan, won the Serie A title, and his first Ballon d'Or.
By 25, Van Basten had already won nearly every major team trophy. Although he played eight seasons with Milan, his final two were spent entirely off the pitch due to injury. Despite this, he managed to collect four Serie A titles, four Supercoppa Italiana, three European Cups (now Champions League), two UEFA Super Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups.
By the time he was forced to retire at 28, he had won three Ballon d'Ors, one UEFA Player of the Year, a European Championship, two Champions Leagues, and had been top scorer in nine competitions. Across Ajax and Milan, he scored a total of 352 goals.
Despite these achievements, some regrets remain. He failed to score in the 1990 World Cup and missed a crucial penalty in the 1992 Euro semifinal against Denmark, eliminating the Netherlands.
Ronaldo at 28: The Peak of a Machine
At 28, Ronaldo had already played for Sporting CP, Manchester United, and Real Madrid. By then, he had scored 339 goals. He had won two Ballon d'Ors, two Champions Leagues, and been named UEFA Player of the Year. He had claimed four league titles and been named Player of the Season five times. He was top scorer in various competitions eight times.
Statistically, at 28, Van Basten and Ronaldo were quite close. Van Basten edges ahead due to winning the Euro with his national team. At that point, Ronaldo had not yet claimed any international silverware. In league titles, goals, and Ballon d’Ors, Van Basten arguably held a slight advantage.
However, what made the real difference was what came next. Van Basten’s career ended, while Ronaldo’s entered its golden age.
After 30, Ronaldo went on to win the FIFA Best, more Ballon d'Ors, UEFA Best Player, multiple Champions Leagues, Euro 2016, the Nations League, La Liga, Serie A, and more. His goal tally surpassed 715. Even in his late 30s, Ronaldo kept scoring—over 300 goals past the age where most players retire.
Had Van Basten continued to play until 35, staying at Milan, it’s possible he would have won at least three more league titles, another Champions League, and added another 100 goals to his name. With the Dutch golden generation of 1994 (Overmars, De Boer, Koeman, Rijkaard, Bergkamp), he might have even added a World Cup medal. Perhaps a fourth Ballon d'Or would’ve been his—a record before Messi or Ronaldo reached that height.
“I still can't play football. My ankle is now healthy, but I can't take a shot. I can’t do anything with my foot. Football used to be part of me, my everyday life. Then, one day, it was all gone.” — Marco van Basten
Despite such a short career, Van Basten etched his name into history. He is still considered one of the greatest Dutch footballers of all time. Who knows—had his career lasted longer, he might have outshone even Cristiano Ronaldo.
