The longstanding debate of Cristiano Ronaldo versus Lionel Messi has divided soccer followers for near 20 years – however what in regards to the gamers who know them greatest?
The pair are considered two of the best footballers of all time, with 13 Ballon d’Or between them.
Right here’s a collection of quotes from (nearly) the entire gamers lucky sufficient to have performed alongside Messi and Ronaldo.
Gerard Pique
“Cristiano is an ideal machine, a tough employee who all the time desires to enhance,” Pique advised Voetbal Journal in 2014. “He’s very demanding of himself, one thing that he confirmed at United.
“Many occasions conclusions are drawn based mostly on particular actions with out truly attending to know him. He has modified lately, I do know him from United and he took to me nicely. He helped me lots in Manchester.”
“I all the time mentioned that Messi has some expertise that nobody has,” Pique advised BT Sport in 2016. “I imply, he has the ball and his pace controlling the ball. The ball doesn’t go two metres removed from his foot, it’s all the time there. It’s unattainable to catch him, this expertise I didn’t see from anybody.
“However for me it’s like Messi just isn’t human however [Ronaldo] is the perfect of the people.”
Andre Gomes
“Ronaldo is an important participant, who’s all the time current and able to play,” Gomes mentioned in 2016. “He’s very severe in regards to the duty of main our nation, we now have nice spirit, and he’s a fantastic instance for all of us.”
“Everybody is aware of that Messi may be very, superb,” Gomes advised L’Esportiu de Catalunya that very same 12 months. “He does issues in video games that you just can’t clarify; he simply is aware of various things and might do it.
“In coaching, it’s a present, as a result of on daily basis he can invent one thing new. You suppose you’re used to it, however there may be all the time someday you go to the dressing room stunned by one thing he has performed.”
Gonzalo Higuain
“We had already performed along with Actual,” Higuain advised Fox Information on Ronaldo in 2019. “A few years have handed, and I’ve discovered one other participant, a extra mature particular person, with a household.
“I loved enjoying alongside him earlier than and I’m glad that we’re again collectively.”
“I’m a ahead and I’ve the prospect to play with Messi. It’s a privilege to play alongside him,” Higuain mentioned in 2012.
“Each time he will get the ball it’s essential be in your toes as a result of you recognize that at any second he can provide you a fantastic ball or pull your marker away from you. He does issues {that a} striker can anticipate however a defender can’t.”
Henrik Larsson
“It is rather onerous to pick out the perfect footballer on this planet,” Larsson advised UEFA in 2007.
“There may be a lot distinction between a defender and a striker, however Ronaldo is unquestionably probably the greatest. In his place, he’s the perfect and he’s most likely the perfect participant round in the meanwhile.”
Six years later, Larsson advised Xarxa: “Cristiano is unfortunate to be enjoying concurrently Messi. Ronaldo is an excellent participant, however Messi is even higher.
“He’s from out of this world. He’s so good that it’s nearly unimaginable. While you see him with the ball at his toes it’s onerous to imagine that anyone else may do the identical. He’s a implausible participant to see.”
Nelson Semedo
“Actual Madrid have observed his absence lots,” Semedo advised Portuguese channel SIC in 2019.
“I can’t say that it was dangerous for us (Barcelona) that Cristiano left. With him it might have been a tougher league for us, extra aggressive. He (Ronaldo) is a participant that requires lots of consideration and care.”
“Talking to Barcelona’s official web site in 2017, Semedo mentioned: “Messi is spectacular. It’s a privilege to play with him, he all the time surprises, he’s from one other planet.”
Ezequiel Garay
“When folks ask me who’s the perfect participant ever, I say Leo,” Garay mentioned in 2011. “From the primary time I noticed him with Argentina Underneath-15s to at the present time he continues to amaze me. He has no restrict.”
Deco
Talking about Ronaldo, Deco advised ESPN Brazil in 2015: “The man is sick, I haven’t seen anybody in coaching classes like that. I feel it’s actually tough to be like that.
“They’re utterly totally different. Although Messi takes care of himself like a standard athlete, Ronaldo is unbelievable. It borders on illness as a result of he all the time desires to be the perfect at his job. He competes in the whole lot.”
“There isn’t a doubt that Messi is the perfect participant on this planet, he does unimaginable issues and retains on breaking data,” Deco advised Esports COPE in 2012.
“I feel Cristiano is almost pretty much as good as Messi. They’re each phenomenal footballers however in several methods. They’re far and away the perfect footballers on this planet.”
Fernando Gago
“For me he [Ronaldo] just isn’t primary. For me, the perfect on this planet is Messi due to the best way he performs, strikes with the ball and adjustments matches,” Gago mentioned. “Messi has unimaginable potential and I like the best way that he performs.”
“We all know that he has the power to win a match in half a second and that offers you peace of thoughts,” Gago advised Marca with reference to Messi in 2018.
“In each recreation I’ve the sensation that he could make us win at any time. Messi’s method of main is with the ball, typically a look is sufficient.
“He has an unimaginable character, he understands the sport completely, he has fought for 14 years to be the perfect with out letting himself down, and that exhibits how he’s.
“He’s the perfect I’ve seen in my life, unquestionably.”
Gabriel Heinze
“If I needed to pay for one participant I’d select him (Ronaldo),” Heinze advised Sky Sports activities in 2008. “I don’t suppose Cristiano will get any higher as a footballer, he’s already subsequent to God in his potential.”
On Messi, Heinze advised La Nacion in 2016: “Leo is inexplicable. Footballistically, he doesn’t come from this planet. And as an individual, he leads such a quiet life that’s admirable.”
Angel Di Maria
Di Maria stored issues easy when speaking about Ronaldo to TyC Sports activities in 2020: “Cristiano is a monster.”
And with reference to Messi, Di Maria advised Sport360 in 2014: “Messi is the perfect on this planet – there is no such thing as a query about that.
“We’ve got seen time and time once more that he wins video games on his personal when the crew just isn’t performing – however the media anticipate him to all the time be the hero.
“When I’m an previous man I’ll inform my grandchildren bedtime tales about once I gained the Champions League, hopefully once I gained the World Cup, however most of all I’ll inform them that their grandfather used to play with Lionel Messi.”
Carlos Tevez
Talking to Argentine outlet Depor in 2018, Tevez mentioned: “Cristiano all the time stopped within the gymnasium after coaching: for him it’s an obsession and, being the perfect in the whole lot, he all the time arrived at work early.
“When the coaching was set for 9 within the morning I arrived at eight and he was already there. Even when I arrived at 7.30 he was already there.
“I started to ask myself, ‘How can I do away with this man?’ So someday I arrived at six however he was already there! Sleepy, however he was there.”
On Messi, Tevez advised ESPN Argentina in 2018: “Messi performs one other sport. For Messi to attain three objectives [in any given game] is regular.”
Paulo Dybala
“After all I take pleasure in it (enjoying alongside Ronaldo),” Dybala advised Tuttosport in 2019. “Cristiano’s a champion and it’s all the time a pleasure to play with guys like him. Ronaldo makes issues which can be very tough truly appear straightforward.”
On his Argentina team-mate, Dybala advised Soccer France in 2017: “Leo is like Maradona for these of our technology. For me it’s an honour to play with him within the nationwide crew.
“He dragged us to the World Cup with the hat-trick in Ecuador. He’s a born chief.”
Arthur
“The way in which he works,” Arthur advised Marca when requested what stunned him about Ronaldo. “I already knew it as a result of folks discuss, the world of soccer is small and so they inform you about it. They inform you what he does, however once you see it up shut it’s spectacular.
“There are days after we get again at two within the morning as a result of we performed late and he begins coaching.
“Who does that? Cristiano. I joke and inform him that he’s sick, however what are you going to say to somebody who has so many Ballons d’Or. Mentally he’s very sturdy.”
“They’re champions above all else,” Arthur advised AS in 2020. “On this, Messi and Ronaldo are an identical. Concentrated from begin to end, all the time.
“In the event that they rating three objectives, they instantly consider the fourth. They by no means disconnect. It’s spectacular and on the identical time motivating, as a result of they push you to do your greatest.
“In comparison with Messi, Ronaldo talks extra and is extra accessible. He by no means backs down if there’s a team-mate in want, and he evokes fierce willpower.
“He trains like an animal, he doesn’t know what a break is, and he all the time encourages you to do your greatest. He leaves nothing to likelihood.”
Sergio Ramos
Ramos claimed in 2021 at Lionel Messi could also be the perfect participant on this planet – regardless of prior loyalties to former Actual Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Leo Messi? We’ve identified one another for a very long time, as opponents,” he advised Prime Video Sport France. “It’s a pleasure to have him on this [PSG] crew. For me, he’s probably the greatest gamers on this planet, if not the perfect.
“It’s good to have him in our squad.”
Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho has skilled with each Messi and Ronaldo – along with his resolution to affix Manchester United based mostly upon desirous to comply with within the footsteps of the latter.
And the teen praised Ronaldo on social media following United’s 3-2 win over Norwich in April 2022.
The 17-year-old publicly expressed his gratitude in the direction of Ronaldo, with a publish on Instagram captioned “best of all time”.
Pablo Sarabia
Sarabia sat on the fence.
“It’s a really tough query,” he advised talkSPORT.
It’s Cristiano as a result of his mindset is completely unimaginable. It’s very onerous. Neymar, his potential to be totally different than the opposite gamers, it’s attainable to do the whole lot, I’ve by no means seen something prefer it. He has lots of high quality with the ball, it’s unimaginable. With Messi, everybody is aware of his capability, the power to attain, to search out the answer.”
Achraf Hakimi
Hakimi hasn’t spoken at size on the talk, however he did select Ronaldo as his GOAT in a viral video on social media.
Vitinha
Learn into Vitinha’s silence what you’ll.
Lisandro Martinez
“[The] greatest participant I’ve performed with, I’d say Lionel Messi,” Martinez advised JD Soccer.
“Why? As a result of he’s the perfect participant within the historical past of soccer and I’m enjoying with him within the nationwide crew.
“I noticed issues that I’ve by no means noticed in one other participant…I feel it’s [he’s] the perfect participant.”
Not a fantastic shock, given Martinez has gained a World Cup alongside Messi, whereas he solely briefly overlapped with Ronaldo at Outdated Trafford.
Casemiro
“Cristiano scores a minimal 15 objectives [every season] however Bale is assault, defend, heads, scores,” Casemiro advised the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, again in Could.
“Cristiano is the perfect, he’s in one other world. Take Cristiano out of the dialog. However for me Bale is the perfect, extra full participant.
“Every thing he does [is] superb. Very fast. Too sturdy. For me Bale is unbelievable.”
Regardless of calling Ronaldo ‘the perfect’ not too way back, he’s since named Messi because the GOAT throughout his unveiling at Inter Miami.
“For me, unquestionably, I’m coming solely to play with the perfect participant of all time,” the Brazilian advised reporters.
I need to take pleasure in, I need to assist him to maintain profitable as a result of he’s a winner. One other participant is becoming a member of who desires to win, who desires to compete.
“I’m the place I need to be in MLS. I left [Manchester] United as a free agent, I had choices in Italy, different groups elsewhere, however I’m the place I need to be … I need to take pleasure in being with him, serving to him win and making him greater. He’s one among, if not the god of soccer and I need to assist.”
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