SAO PAOLO, March 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Nazario Ronaldo, Brazil's world-famous soccer forward, told a Sunday newspaper that his World Cup performance would silence critics including Edson Arantes do Nascimiento "Pele" who he called "a cheap opportunist".

    Ronaldo, who plays for the Spanish league's Real Madrid, told OGlobo that: "The Cup is the best motivation for all footballers. Iam not experiencing the best moment of my career, but I am getting myself ready to shut a lot of people up."

    He added that he was disappointed with Pele's recent critical remarks, where the King of Football said that "issues outside of sport" including a "complicated personal life" were the reasons for his poor performance.

    "I think he acted like a cheap opportunist. Yes, things are difficult, but I didn't expect that from him... that he would talk about my personal life," Ronaldo said.

    Saying that Pele also had family problems, in an apparent reference to Pele's son Edinho's problems with the law, Ronaldo added: "He could leave me alone".

    Ronaldo spoke to the newspaper in Valencia, Spain, ahead of the Saturday match between Valencia and Madrid, which was a 0-0 draw at full time and which Madrid then lost due to an injury time penalty.

    Ronaldo also said he was happy and grateful for the support of Artur Antunes Coimbra "Zico", a Brazilian former soccer great, who now works as manager of the Japan national team. Zico had defended him to the press from criticisms made by Michel Platini, a French former football star.

    Ronaldo, 29, also added that he had not yet begun to think about retirement, because he was still enjoying playing.

    "I think I can continue playing football comfortably until age 34," he said. Enditem