'He'll score more than Messi' - Neville backs Ronaldo to become 'incredible' centre-forward

The player-turned-pundit believes the Real star will have the records of Brazilian great Pele in his sights and will outscore the Barca man.

Gary Neville has backed former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo to complete his transformation into a traditional centre-forward and score more goals than Barcelona's Lionel Messi.

The Real Madrid star has evolved from wiry winger to powerful forward since leaving Old Trafford for the Spanish capital in 2009 and has gone onto score 395 goals for Los Blancos.

Neville, who enjoyed a six-year spell at United with Ronaldo, believes there is more to come from the 32-year-old as he enters the latter stages of his career.

"I was thinking the other day, what's the long game for him? And I wonder if he's going to go on and play into his 40s," Neville said on Sky Sports' Revista de La Liga.

 "I wonder if he's building up for a long career as a centre-forward, where he can still score two goals and live off moments.