There are very few players in the history of world football who can properly compare themselves to Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Juventus man's antics over the past 15 years have made him one of the two defining players of his era.

Five Champions League trophies with two different clubs, five Ballons d'Or, the only trophy-winning captain in his country's history - Ronaldo's accomplishments are truly outstanding in any era.

It's a set of accomplishments that is made even more incredible when you consider he's had to share the limelight with Lionel Messi - who knows what he could have achieved if he'd been out on his own?

Coincidentally, one of the defining players of the previous era was also a Ronaldo - the Brazilian former Real, Internazionale, and Barcelona forward comfortably went down as one of the all-time great strikers.

The Brazilian Ronaldo achieved so much despite some terrible injuries, the highlight undoubtedly being winning the 2002 World Cup with his country.

And speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 42-year-old compared himself with his namesake, feeling that there were some key differences that set them apart.

"We are different in terms of our position on the field and the way of interpreting it," he said, per AS. "Even if Cristiano now plays in a more central position, he has another way of approaching the goal with respect to how I did, even if the objective is the same."

One area that they really differ is in regards to training and Ronaldo feels it's no surprise that the Juventus man is still playing well at 33 - something he was never able to do.

"It's no coincidence that Cristiano has reached 33 years of age in that shape," he said. "I think there are few players who take care of their body like he does, with so much desire to improve.

"I’m not saying that our concept of training, of the importance of work, is the complete opposite, but it is certainly different. I trained because I had to do; he does it because he loves it.”

And that last sentence may define Cristiano Ronaldo - the Portuguese forward has always had a reputation for hard work that even many of the great lacked.

He's still playing brilliantly into his thirties and it remains to be seen how far he can go.

Ronaldo has already defined himself as an all-time great but he certainly isn't done yet.