Pele plumped for Cristiano Ronaldo, but Gary Lineker is Team Lionel Messi… and Johan Cruyff calls it ‘RIDICULOUS’ to think anything else! As Steven Gerrard dubs Portugal star ‘the GOAT’, where do other footballing legends stand in the debate?
- Former Liverpool stade made waves when he appeared to switch allegiances
- Despite frequent claims the contest has been won, the GOAT discussion rolls on
- Trent and Bellingham can play together but can’t get in each other’s way – IAKO
Steven Gerrard made waves this week when eagle-eyed commentators noted the Al-Ettifaq head coach had inadvertently flip-flopped on one of the most charged debates of our time: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
‘Cristiano Ronaldo, or “the GOAT” as we call him,’ Gerrard had said, perhaps without thought, only to prompt supporters of both players to dig up a 2022 interview of the Liverpool legend citing Messi as his favourite player and question what might have brought on his change of heart.
Both Messi and Ronaldo have had miles of column inches – and X (formerly Twitter) threads – devoted to who might come out on top as the greatest the sport has ever seen, without a clear-cut resolution in sight.
But whilst some might argue that Gerrard’s change of circumstance might have prompted him to hail the Saudi Pro League’s marquee player, the former Aston Villa manager isn’t in bad company dubbing Ronaldo the greatest of all time.
Here, Mail Sport runs the rule over a raft of global football icons and assesses where they sit in the great – and ongoing – sporting debate.
Steven Gerrard courted controversy amongst some factions when he named Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured) the ‘GOAT’
Many argue that Lionel Messi is the worthier holder of the title after Argentina’s World Cup win
A number of legends who have either player with or managed the two footballing demi-gods have all picked a side (pictured in 2023)
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Pele – Ronaldo
There are many who might make a case that the Brazil talisman – who passed away in 2022 – is one of the greatest claimants for the title of GOAT after a titanic career that saw him win three World Cups and seven Ballon d’Ors.
But when asked for his verdict in 2020, the Santos legend was more than happy to wade into the debate.
‘Today, the best player in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo,’ Pele shared. ‘I think he’s the best, because he’s more consistent.
‘But you can’t forget about Messi, of course, but he’s not a striker.’
The global icon both players to his list of the 12 greatest players ever in the same year, alongside luminaries including Diego Maradona, Alfredo Di Dtefano, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, and Andres Iniesta.
The talismatic Brazilian (right) presented Ronaldo with his FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2008
Diego Maradona – Messi
It stands to reason that El Diego would name his de facto successor in the hearts and minds of Argentina football fans as the greatest-ever, and the World Cup winner got the greatest insight into the 36-year-old’s talent as his national team coach between 2008 and 2010.
‘I can’t remember having seen Lionel Messi play badly,’ Maradona claimed in 2017. ‘I prefer Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, but I acknowledge that the latter is an animal.
‘Football history will remember Messi. Football has given him a lot, as much as he has given the sport and to win a World Cup, in my opinion, wouldn’t bring himself anything else.’
But Maradona reserved some criticism for the player a year later, when in 2018 he questioned his leadership skills and claimed he was a different player in a Barcelona shirt than he was for the national team.
‘We shouldn’t deify Messi any longer,’ he told Fox Sports. ‘He’s Messi when he plays for Barcelona. Messi is Messi when he wears that shirt, and he’s another Messi with Argentina.
After winning the World Cup Messi is now deified alongside national idol Diego Maradona
The Napoli icon (left) managed his de facto successor whilst at the helm of the national team
‘He’s a great player but he’s not a leader. It’s useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game,’ Maradona added, in reference to his nerves.
Messi shook off his complexes in blue and white after Maradona’s death, clinching the Copa America in 2021, and the World Cup a year later.
Sir Alex Ferguson – Ronaldo
For his former manager – and many of his former managers – there was no comparison. Famously straight-talking Ferguson shared his answer to the roiling debate as clear-sightedly as he might bark tactical orders at Carrington.
‘People say ‘who is the best player in the world?’ And plenty of people quite rightly say Messi – you can’t dispute that opinion,’ Ferguson said in 2015. ‘But Ronaldo could play for Millwall, Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster Rovers, anyone, and score a hat-trick in a game.
‘I’m not sure Messi could do it. Ronaldo’s got two feet, he’s quick, great in the air, he’s brave – Messi’s brave, of course. I think Messi’s a Barcelona player.’
Although Ferguson might have seen himself proved correct during the Argentine’s ill-fated stint at Paris Saint-Germain, he might have a tougher time explaining away his fast start at Inter Miami, which saw the playmaker’s arrival lift the side from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to finalists in the US Open Cup, and winners of the Leagues Cup.
Another measure of how highly the former Man United manager ranks Ronaldo is his inclusion in an elite list of four players Ferguson has coached that he believes are genuinely ‘world class’. As well as Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes got the nod.
Sir Alex Ferguson rolled the dice of fate with Man United’s signing of Ronaldo in August 2003
The ex-manager refers to the Portugal star as one of the four ‘world class’ players he coached
David Beckham – Messi
One notable omission – for some – from Ferguson’s list is now Messi’s paymaster in the MLS, and Beckham has long been a fan of the former Blaugrana despite turning out for Real Madrid.
‘They have similarities in their technical skills and talent, and it is amazing for football to have them both present, but Messi is simply the best player in the world,’ Beckham told reporters in 2013.
‘He (Messi) is alone in his class as a player, it is impossible that there is another like him. He, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not at his level, are both above the rest.’
Ten years later, Beckham’s ardour has only grown, as he shared before signing to the player at the DRV PNK Stadium.
‘It has to be Messi,’ Beckham said when asked who his favourite player is. ‘He is a great person, but I think what everybody loves about him is the way he plays the game. He plays the game with passion, he plays the game…just free.
‘I think this past World Cup again, the way he played for his country and to win that World Cup is an incredible moment for him, and I love watching players like him.
David Beckham presented his Inter Miami star with the Ballon d’Or at this year’s ceremony
Jamie Carragher – Messi
The Liverpool star kept his argument short and sweet as he shared a list of his top five players during last year’s World Cup on X (formerly Twitter).
Messi was ranked first, followed by Maradona, Pele, Ronaldo, and Zidane.
He also aired his views a year prior in discussion with Gary Neville – firmly Team Cristiano – as he discussed Messi’s ability to ‘run a game’ compared to Ronaldo’s.
‘Two wonderful players,’ Carragher admitted. ‘In terms of all the attributes, Ronaldo is a more complete player. He can do things that Messi can’t in terms of his weaker foot and in the air.
‘But Messi can take you to a place where you can’t actually believe what you are seeing. What Ronaldo does is what other players can do, Messi can do things you have never seen before.’
Jamie Carragher kept his argument concise with his selection of the greatest players ever
Arsene Wenger – Messi
The former Arsenal manager has long been singing from the Messi hymnbook, and if reports are to be believed, tried to sign the player as early as 2003 to join the Gunners from La Masia. But whilst attempts failed, Wenger’s admiration on the player has continued unwaveringly.
However, there’s a sense that Wenger is keen not to be drawn into the endless back-and-forth, as evidenced by his entirely diplomatic 2020 answer on who comes out top.
‘I often say that Cristiano Ronaldo is the athlete-footballer, and Lionel Messi, the exceptional artist, this is the difference between the two,’ Wenger said. ‘Afterwards, everyone prefers one or the other. When we like the game, we prefer the artist. The creative makes you discover things that you do not see, that you have not even considered from the stands.
‘It’s (creative style) finer, even if I don’t deny the quality of the Portuguese star. I just believe that football has evolved into the Ronaldo style. This does not mean that we should eliminate the creative. The rules must evolve to make the game more spectacular, more beautiful to see.
‘Artistically, Messi is as well a guy who can give the final ball, so he’s maybe more a creative player than Ronaldo. Ronaldo is more a finisher, better in the air, more athletic, and Messi is the more artistic. So, basically, you are always tempted a little bit more by a player like Messi.’
Despite featuring alongside the Al-Nassr forward, Rooney plumped for his ‘rival’ in the debate
The Birmingham City manager has long been of the opinion that Messi is the ‘best ever’ player
Wayne Rooney – Messi
It’s somewhat rarer to see a team-mate of Ronaldo or Messi opting to celebrate their rival, but Rooney has been unafraid of crossing the Rubicon. As early as 2012, Rooney tweeted: ‘Messi is a joke. For me the best ever’.
Bear in mind, this is just four years after the Birmingham City coach won the Premier League-Champions League double alongside Ronaldo. But Rooney wasn’t for turning, quote-tweeting the post ten years later upon Argentina’s World Cup win saying: ‘Nothing has changed (shrug emoji, golf emoji).’
Ahead of Messi’s signing for Inter Miami, the then-DC United manager backed it up when discussing the importance of his move to America.
‘Commercially, it’ll be huge,’ Rooney said. ‘It’ll draw more interest in the game from different regions of the world – I’m sure it’ll do that as well, because you’re getting arguably the best player to ever play the game.
Ryan Giggs – Ronaldo
One former team-mate unafraid of cries of bias is another of Ferguson’s top picks – Ryan Giggs.
The Wales international featured alongside Ronaldo for the entirety of his six-year stint at Old Trafford, and said in 2017 that ‘obviously’ he would plump for his team-mate in the great debate.
‘But they’re both two great players. We’re living in an era where you’re seeing true legends at their best going head-to-head each season,’ Giggs said.
‘It’s special to see but Cristiano has done it in Portugal, he’s obviously done it in England and he’s done it in La Liga and also on the national front with Portugal as well.
‘I think Cristiano for me just pips it, but only just.’
Two years later, he sounded a little less faithful when he claimed that Messi was a ‘genius, he’s a once-in-a-liftime player’.
Ryan Giggs (centre) featured alongside Ronaldo for the entirety of his first stint at Old Trafford
Gary Lineker – Messi
Lineker is deeply committed to supporting the Argentina captain in the battle for GOAT, to the point where he claimed in 2019 that there is ‘no comparison’ between the two players.
‘Messi is on a different level to everybody else, it’s as simple as that. People say to me what about Ronaldo’s goalscoring record and so forth?,’ Lineker argued.
‘But I say to them have you seen Messi pass a football? Have you seen him dribble towards goal?’
He also argued – before Messi’s World Cup win, a statement that might have seen his popularity dip on Argentinean soil – that the former PSG man was greater than Maradona.
‘I never thought I’d see a better player than Diego (Maradona),’ he said.
‘Maradona was unbelievable and I was so much in awe of him, as everybody was in those days,’ Lineker continued. ‘But I think when you look at Messi, he does everything and more than Diego could do.
‘I’m also a huge fan of Ronaldo, I’m a massive admirer of him. I think he’s one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, there’s no question about that.
‘But for me football is about watching it and getting joy from it, and when I watch Messi play it makes me feel joyous.’
Patrice Evra – Ronaldo
Like many of those who have played with either of the superstars, Evra is staunch in his choice of GOAT, having witnessed his determination and drive. After playing together at Man United, the ex-France international said to fellow former team-mate Rio Ferdinand that he says Ronaldo ‘every time’ he asked to settle the debate.
It’s not because he’s our brother it’s because I’m in love with work ethic,’ Evra shared in 2023. ‘I feel like Messi, god just gave him a talent and Cristiano had to work for it. He had the talent but he had to work for it.
‘If Messi had the same work ethic as Cristiano Ronaldo, he would probably have like 15 Ballon d’Ors today. I’m just in love with people working hard so that’s why I pick Ronaldo over Messi.’
Patrice Evra attributed his appreciation of Ronaldo to his work ethic and hardy determination
His former manager Zinedine Zidane had similarly high praise for the high-scoring forward
Zinedine Zidane – Ronaldo
Another former manager of Ronaldo, another swathe of compliments for the Portuguese goal machine. Zidane reserved the highest praise for his Real Madrid forward when he claimed that Ronaldo was ‘much better than (him)’.
‘Cristiano is the best,’ the World Cup winner said in 2015. ‘Messi is his rival and it’s the rivalry everyone wants to see.
‘But Ronaldo is phenomenal. There are no words to describe him. He is much better than me even though I had a great career. He’s the greatest of all time.’
Zidane added that there were ‘no words’ to describe his striker, saying: ‘There have been many players who have made history at this club. But nobody has done what he has – the statistics speak for that. What he has done is impressive. So I think yes (he is the best in history).
‘What he does every day, every game, is phenomenal. He has made history at this club, and keeps doing that, and I hope it will continue until he retires here.’
Johan Cruyff – Messi
Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff was as unlikely a candidate as anyone to rule against his side’s star player in 2015, but his emphatic praise of Messi is one of the most amusing, with the late player and manager seeking to put an end to the debate once and for all by calling out the idiocy of those who would opt for Ronaldo.
‘Messi is much more a team player than Cristiano is,’ the Dutchman said in 2015. ‘He scores but also produces many assists. For me as a player, Messi is better. There is a big difference in being just a great goalscorer and being the best player.
‘Every person that understands football knows this. It’s absolutely ridiculous to me that some people actually think Messi isn’t the best.
‘This isn’t about Cristiano at all. He’s a fantastic player, one of the best goalscorers ever. This is about how ridiculously good Messi is.’
Ronaldinho – Messi
The Barcelona legend was straight to the point as he named Messi the greatest player of all time in a nostalgia-tinged interview that saw him long to turn back the clock and spend more time playing alongside the midfielder.
‘I didn’t get enough time with him, he was very young,’ Ronaldinho lamented. ‘I’d love to take to the pitch with him one more time.
‘He’s the best in history, no doubt. Nobody has done what Messi’s done. The other one (Ronaldo) is complete, he has it all. So does Messi, but it’s a question of taste and I prefer Messi’s style.’
After Messi’s World Cup win last December, the Brazil international shared with The Athletic that he and some of the other Barca luminaries had kept a close eye on Messi’s rise even before he broke into the senior squad.
Messi announced himself at Camp Nou in May 2005 with a debut goal which made him the club’s youngest-ever scorer
His former team-mate Ronaldinho (left) wished that he had played even longer with the talent
‘Me, Deco and the whole team had been following Leo since the youth team, going to watch his games,’ Ronaldinho said. ‘We already expected that he would be the best.’
And the winner is..!
Messi (8) beats Ronaldo (5)
In the wake of a blistering World Cup campaign, record eighth Ballon d’Or, and the memories of his Barcelona magic not yet dimmed, the Argentina captain comes out on top.
But with only three more votes than the former Manchester United man, it’s far from consensus. Looks like the debate is set to continue…
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