Ronaldo calls Arsenal forward one of the world’s best | OneFootball

Brazil legend Ronaldo believes that Gabriel Jesus is one of the best strikers in the world, and World Cup goals will come for him.

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus is with Brazil at the World Cup this month, but there’s plenty of media speculation around his call-up and participation with the national team.

Jesus was a regular starter at the last World Cup in 2018, when he’d just turned 21, but he ended the tournament with one assist and no goals.

With Brazil crashing out in the quarter-finals to Belgium, Jesus’ failure to score earned him plenty of criticism.

The striker’s two goals and two assists in the Copa America semi-final and final the next year – as Brazil lifted the trophy – certainly helped to restore his reputation. But his only Brazil goal since that final was in a summer friendly against South Korea.

With so few goals for Brazil lately, Jesus has lost his starting spot with his country. But legendary striker Ronaldo believes the Arsenal man is still one of the world’s best, and the goals will come.

“Gabriel [Jesus] today is one of the best strikers in the world and much more mature than in 2018,” Ronaldo said. “The goals will come naturally and this concern should not cross his mind. All he has to do is get on the field and do what he knows how to do.”

There’s talk that Jesus will start alongside Gabriel Martinelli in Brazil’s final group game at the World Cup on Friday, handing him his first spot in the lineup in 2022.

If he could cap the appearance with a goal, perhaps that would help to shake off the critics and break back into the starting side.