CR7 said I was the ONLY one better than him but I ended up watching him in JAIL

The only player Cristiano Ronaldo openly acknowledged as being superior to him is him.

And when he was just 13 years old, he made an amazing £327,00 since players and fans traveled all around Portugal to see him. However, Paim's career fell into oblivion as a result of the fame, wealth, and partying lifestyle, while his boyhood pal went on to become one of football's all-time greats. Then it reached its lowest point when Paim, imprisoned for a year in the notorious Caxias jail, was forced to watch Ronaldo train with Portugal through a window.

At the age of eight, the winger was selected by Sporting's academy and sent to Lisbon, where the excitement rapidly grew. With his brilliant skill, Paim looked destined to become even more brilliant than fellow Sporting academy phenom Ronaldo, who is three years older. In 2003, Ronaldo expressed his excitement about joining Manchester United by saying, "If you think I'm good, wait until you see Fabio Paim." But to what extent was Paim good? And did he truly outperform Ronaldo? Where he lives in the Algarve, Paim spoke to SunSport and said:

"I was truly unique. I know I should be modest, but this is the reality.Regretfully, there was no Instagram or Facebook back then, and nothing was documented as it is now. However, I firmly and really feel that, up to this point, no one has ever been like me in terms of quality.Cristiano reached a level he is worthy of after all his dedication and hard work. "But in terms of technique, I was superior when I was playing if I had put in the same amount of effort and dedication." I resembled a little Ronaldinho. However, as we can see, the method is not what gets us where we want to go.Yes, I was superior to Cristiano at the time.

I think I ought to receive one of his Ballons d'Or! When asked if he could have theoretically won the Ballon d'Or and been the greatest player in the world, Paim said, "Yes, without a doubt." Ronaldo won several awards, including the Euro 2016 championship with Portugal, but Paim never got the chance to play in the Sporting first team during a competitive match. In 2008, the Portuguese youth international went on loan to Chelsea. The 20-year-old lived alone and "didn't enjoy" his year in London, even though he earned roughly £50,000 per month in addition to Sporting's £130,000 yearly bonus in Brendan Rodgers and Paul Clement's reserves, while compatriots like Deco and Ricardo Carvalho were first-team stars.

Football player Fabio's fall Paim said that he was "overwhelmed" by fame and fortune, squandering his amazing fortune on vehicles, women, booze, and parties since he had never been taught how to manage his finances. At the age of 22, he "mentally" retired from Portuguese minnows Real Massama, but he kept working as a journeyman in China, Angola, Lithuania, Qatar, Malta, and Brazil in order to support his opulent lifestyle. The mother of Paim, a domestic servant, gave this explanation: "Unfortunately, I was gifted from birth."I had the impression I didn't need to put in the work since I was making a lot of money. A person such as me could never become a millionaire.I regret making some decisions. Since I'm older now, I can see

"My mind wasn't there, but the talent was." All I could think about was ladies and partying, outside football.I participated in a few games, but my body wasn't in the best of form, so I didn't meet the expectations of the fans, since if I could have been at Real Madrid or Barcelona. However, Paim's life took a terrible turn in 2019 when he was detained for having five grams of cocaine in his hands. "My mind wasn't there, but the talent was." All I could think about was ladies and partying, outside football.I participated in a few games, but my body wasn't in the best form, so I didn't meet the fans' expectations, since if I could have been at Real Madrid or Barcelona. However, Paim's life took a terrible turn in 2019 when he was detained for having five grams of cocaine in his hands.

He was accused of cocaine trafficking and detained in a cell near the Portuguese FA's Cidade do Futebol headquarters for a year until the case crumbled and he was found not guilty. The more than 150-year-old jail was formerly a fort, and its cells are infamous for being airless, damp, and gloomy. For the father of two, however, it was a life-changing moment when he saw the impact his decisions had on his family and experienced directly how his life may have turned out differently.

"The prison I was in is next to the field where the Portugal national team performs, so I could watch them train every day for the Euro 2020 qualifiers," Paim, whose final club was Polish third-tier squad LZS Starowice in late 2020, stated.I didn't think, "Ah, Cristiano is there," since I was there for a purpose. I ought to be there as well. "Prison was really hard and difficult for me and my family," Paim said, wiping away tears. However, I felt okay about it.I discovered that simple things are not always healthy. I had to work in order to maintain my dignity since I was unable to continue living that way.My life is now more peaceful. I'll definitely create some more.

"I was not the kind of boy who belonged in prison."I want no one to think poorly of me. I made the decision, and I made the error. Family is the most essential thing, but I needed the consolation and support that only a family can provide. I also had to be honest with my kids. All I asked was for them to come see me.My mum has always supported me greatly and continues to do so. "It pains me so much how much my mistakes have hurt them; they didn't deserve that." I overindulged them. I'm sorry for being so sentimental; it's not my fault.

 When Fabio Paim was a youngster, he seemed to have the whole world at his feet, literally, whether it was a football, a dance floor, or the pedal of a Lamborghini or Ferrari. Ironically, though, the colorful, extravagant figure claims he is happy now that all of it has passed. Gazing out over Vilamoura Marina, where he is frequently halted by devoted residents, Paim thought to himself, "I thought that was happiness when I had the fame, the money, and the parties."However, I had no idea what happiness actually was. I was wealthy, but I had no idea what it meant to travel and eat well. "I know what happiness is now, and I'm content with less."