Ronaldo: the hunger (and arrogance) of soccer's self-proclaimed 'best'

Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo is hungry.

Hungry for trophies and success; for goals and grandeur; for fame, fortune, legacy, and history. The Portuguese footballer is considered one of the all-time greats, a record-breaker for club and country; but he doesn't need others to do the considering for him. He knows it.

And he's not afraid to own it.

"I don't need to say, 'I'm in the history of football, I'm a legend.'" Ronaldo told the BBC's Dan Roan. "The numbers say everything. ... In my mind, I'm always the best. I don't care what people think, what they say. In my mind, not just this year but always, I'm always the best."

The numbers he cites certainly paint a pretty picture for the man who won Europe's top scorer prize, the Golden Shoe, in 2015. And winning is just what Ronaldo does. He's captured the Premier League title, the La Liga crown, and the Champions League trophy with his club teams, and claimed the last two Ballon d'Or titles for himself.

Still, Lionel Messi, his archnemesis, has done all that, and more. It's why Messi is often considered the best soccer player of all time, with Ronaldo his competitor, and not the other way around.

"It's opinions, I respect the opinions. Maybe in your opinion Messi is better than me, but in my mind I am better than him. So it's simple," Ronaldo explained.

Related: Cristiano Ronaldo to his haters: 'I need the enemy. It is part of the business'

Ronaldo's perception of the Argentine was described by the Guardian's Daniel Taylor as the villain to Ronaldo's self-proclaimed hero, and Ronaldo's pursuit of the Ballon d'Or as their fiercest battle. Such is the rivalry that Ronaldo and his agent, Jorge Mendes, refer to Messi as "the other guy."

Avoiding the use of Messi's name is eerily similar to the way wizards call Lord Voldemort "He Who Must Not Be Named" in the Harry Potter novels - and, perhaps, just as childish.

Taylor writes of the two footballers' strained - if improving - relationship in his review of Ronaldo's new documentary-style feature film. Entitled simply "Ronaldo," it follows a 14-month period in the Portuguese international's life, through a season at Real Madrid and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

It centers around the relationship between Ronaldo and his son, Cristiano Jr., but also delves into the iconic footballer's tough past.

The documentary itself left Taylor somewhat bemused. He calls it "a remarkable vanity project and, even more than before, it is difficult not to come away with the feeling that Ronaldo must shout his own name during sex."

Ronaldo, of course, would disagree with that assessment.

"It's great," Ronaldo said of his film. "This has given me motivation to still work hard and better in my job but I have to say to be in my shoes is not easy. But I'm not complaining. I just want to say that. I feel happy. All this happens because of a reason.

"The reason is I'm unbelievable inside the pitch. This is why the people have so much interest on me. So it's as simple as that. I'm good, I'm happy, I'm motivated all the time. I'm very professional and I want to carry on like that."

Related - VIDEO: Ronaldo confronted by club president over comments about future

Ronaldo doesn't just face a battle with public perceptions, but one with time as well. At 30, he has begun to slow, but isn't anywhere near retirement. He also deals with constant knee pain, and, time being a fickle friend, his body may soon begin to betray his hungry mind and spirit.

Already, Ronaldo has been forced to change. His manager Rafa Benitez has deployed him as an out-and-out striker, rather than out on the left wing, where his pace and power allowed him to burst by defenders.

His contract with Real Madrid expires in 2018 but Ronaldo has been linked with many moves away from the Santiago Bernabeu: a return to Manchester United, a blockbuster move to Paris Saint-Germain, a surprise switch to Major League Soccer.

So, what's next for Ronaldo?

"As I say many, many times, the future nobody knows," he answered. "At this moment I'm so glad and happy here in Real Madrid but the future nobody knows. I will say this answer all the time because the future nobody knows, but I'm good here. I still have a contract with Real Madrid and I'm happy here."