Who was better: Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? 50 football legends answer.
Who is the goat of football Messi or Ronaldo?
We’ve compiled the opinions of 50 current and former players and coaches regarding the greatest clash of the century: Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo.
Thiago Silva, PSG defender
“There’s another guy [Cristiano] who, for me, is complete. He heads the ball well, shoots with his left foot, shoots with his right. But, in my view, he doesn’t have Messi’s quality. He has his own quality, which is different, but Messi’s quality of dribbling, those things, that needs to be different.” – Exclusive interview with Esporte Interativo.
Dani Alves, midfielder for São Paulo
“Messi is a genius whose objective is to score goals. Messi manages to combine two things: he combines finishing ability and genius. So he’s a bit like Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo combined. Therefore, he’s already better than both of them [Neymar and CR7].” – Exclusive interview with Esporte Interativo.
Alex, former Cruzeiro and Fenerbahçe player
“He’s a genius. In a game of odds or evens, if I had to choose to play a pickup game with, I’d choose Messi.” – Exclusive interview with Esporte Interativo .
Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Messi’s former teammate at Barcelona.
“He’s the best in history, without a doubt. Nobody has done what Messi has done. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo is complete; he has everything. Just like Messi, but it’s a matter of taste and I prefer Messi’s style.” – In an interview with ‘Sport’.
Ronaldo Fenômeno, former Real Madrid, Internazionale, and Corinthians player.
“Logically, both have reserved places where geniuses reside. They are two footballing geniuses, perhaps Messi is the most complete, as decisive as Cristiano Ronaldo. If I won a game of odds or evens, I would choose Messi first.” – In an exclusive interview with Esporte Interativo .
Cafu, the player with the most appearances for the Brazilian National Team.
Malcom, former Barcelona player and currently at Zenit in Russia.
“He [Cristiano] is one of the best in the world right now, yes. But for me, Messi is far superior. It’s very natural. He can decide a game in two minutes.” – In an exclusive interview with Esporte Interativo .
Lucas Moura, Tottenham striker
“I’m a fan of both, I think they’re both spectacular, out of this world, but if I had to choose one of the two, I’d pick Messi. Messi is pure. He’s the kind of guy who pulls rabbits out of hats. The kind of guy who’ll dribble past four or five players and score a goal.”
Djalminha, former Flamengo and Palmeiras player
“In the world, Messi is by far the best. By far, by far. Cristiano Ronaldo deserved every time he won the best player in the world award, but Messi is the better player.” – In an exclusive interview with Esporte Interativo .
Juan, former Flamengo, Leverkusen and Roma player.
“Messi. Much harder to mark. More improvisation. With Cristiano, you know what he’s going to do, but he doesn’t do it with such great speed and force. But Messi is a guy who hides the ball.” – In an exclusive interview with Esporte Interativo .
Filipe Luís, former Atlético de Madrid left-back, currently playing for Flamengo.
“So, I think Messi is better than him, because Messi is unique. He’s a player who is pure talent. Cristiano scores goals, moves well, has strength, speed, he’s complete. But Messi is the kind of player you enjoy watching play. He’s a genius.”
Jorge Jesus, Portuguese coach of Flamengo.
“For me, who is the best? It’s Ronaldo, he’s Portuguese. Because Ronaldo is a goal-scoring machine.” – In an interview with Arthur Quezada, reporter for Esporte Interativo channels.
Felipe Melo, Palmeiras midfielder
“I can’t say that Pelé, Maradona, or Zico are phenomenal to me. I saw Messi play and he’s incredible. More so than Cristiano Ronaldo, because Cristiano might score five goals, but Messi scores those five goals and also provides assists to his teammates. Messi is a unique player.” – To the newspaper ‘Clarín’.
When we, in the Brazilian National Team, played against him, we would say: ‘We have to tackle him one at a time, we have to rotate our positions.’ Otherwise, it’s difficult. There’s no way to mark a player like that. And I’m not talking about hard tackles to injure him, but rather tactical fouls, to disrupt his rhythm and bother him.”
David Beckham, former Manchester United, Real Madrid and PSG
“He [Lionel Messi] is alone in his class as a player. It’s impossible that there’s another player like him. Like Cristiano Ronaldo, who isn’t at his level, he’s above everyone else.” – In an interview with ‘Telam’.
Kaká, former Milan, Real Madrid and Brazilian National Team player.
“Cristiano is a machine. Not only because of how strong, powerful and fast he is, but also because of his mental strength. He always wants to win, he wants to play and be the best. That’s the most incredible aspect of him. I’ve played with Cristiano and he’s truly incredible, but I prefer Messi. He’s a genius, pure talent. The way he plays is incredible” – On FIFA’s Instagram.
Harry Redknapp, former Tottenham manager
“I prefer Ronaldo to Messi. I like both, but I prefer Ronaldo. He’s won everything and he’s incredible.” – He said at a ‘Sportmail’ event.
Peter Crouch, former England striker
“Messi is the most talented football player we’ve ever seen. Regarding Ronaldo, I admire his determination, mentality, and tenacity, but if you’re talking about talented players, there’s no comparison with Messi.” – At the same event as Redknapp.
Lothar Matthäus, former Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and German national team player.
“Messi is the best of the last ten years. As a fan, I prefer Messi’s playing style to Cristiano Ronaldo’s power. I would prefer Messi, I would choose him, because I prefer his playing style, his dribbling, passing, and how he gives his all for the team.” – To the newspaper ‘AS’.
Romário, former Vasco and Flamengo player, and best player in the world in 1994.
“Messi or Ronaldo? Messi! He’s more brilliant, more technically gifted. I prefer watching Messi play, but Cristiano is undoubtedly among the five best players in history.” – In an interview with ‘Fox Sports’.
Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo’s former teammate at Manchester United.
“Despite being friends with Cristiano, I would choose Messi (as the best). And it’s for the same reason that I loved watching Xavi or Scholes. It’s that calmness; I don’t remember seeing Messi hitting the ball with all his might. He simply makes the ball roll, and he does it with great ease.” – In an interview with the ‘Sunday Times.’
Mario Balotelli, formerly of Milan and Manchester City, and currently at Brescia.
“Obviously, it wouldn’t be bad to play with Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also a phenomenon, but I prefer Messi” – In a live Instagram broadcast.
Ángel Di María, former Real Madrid player and Messi’s teammate on the Argentine national team.
“Messi is the best in the world, there’s no question about that. When I’m old I’ll tell my grandchildren bedtime stories about when I won the Champions League, and hopefully when I win the World Cup… But above all I’ll tell them that their grandfather played with Lionel Messi.” – In an interview with ‘TyC Sports’.
Henrik Larsson, former Barcelona and Swedish national team player.
“I don’t think there’s much difference between the two because they are great players. Cristiano had the misfortune of playing at the same time as Messi. Ronaldo is a very good player, but Messi is even better. He’s not from this planet. He’s so good it’s almost unbelievable. When you see him with the ball at his feet, it’s hard to believe that anyone else could do the same. He’s a fantastic player to watch.” – To ‘Xarxa’.
Gerard Piqué, Messi’s teammate at Barcelona.
“I’ve always said that Messi has a talent that no one else has. For me, it’s as if Messi isn’t human, but [Ronaldo] is the best of humans.” – In an interview with ‘BT Sport Europe’.
Zinédine Zidane, former coach of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
“Cristiano is the best. Messi is his rival, and that’s the rivalry everyone wants to see. But Ronaldo is phenomenal. I have no words to describe him. He’s much better than me, and I had a great career. He’s the best player of all time.” – In an interview with ‘Record MX’.
Pep Guardiola, former Barcelona manager and current Manchester City coach.
“He’s the best player I’ve ever seen. The best thing about him isn’t what he does, but how simple everything he does seems. He’s not just the best player because he can dribble past three or four players, it’s because he does it better than anyone else in the world.” – In an interview with ‘Goal’.
Arsène Wenger, legendary Arsenal manager
“Ronaldo is a better finisher, better in the air, more athletic, and Messi is more artistic. So basically you’re always more tempted to choose a player like Messi.” – In an interview with ‘beIN Sports’.
Marco van Basten, former Milan and Dutch national team player
“Cristiano is a great player, but those who say he’s better than Messi know nothing about football, or they speak with bad intentions. Messi is unique. Impossible to imitate or replicate. A player like him comes along once every 50 or 100 years. As a child, he fell into a pot of football genius.” – In an interview with ‘Corriere dello Sport.’
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Messi’s former teammate at Barça and currently at Milan.
“I think Messi is unique. I don’t know if we’ll ever see another player repeat the things he does. I’ve been lucky enough to see him every day, as I said before, it’s like playing Playstation: You give him the ball and he manages to get past every opponent, and that’s what Messi is.” – In an interview with ESPN.
Kylian Mbappé, PSG star
“Cristiano for sure, but that’s a tough one. I’m a big fan of Cristiano. Even when he doesn’t have a great game, for me, he always plays well.” – In an interview with ‘Globo’.
Diego Simeone, Atlético de Madrid coach
“I would definitely choose Messi, I have no doubt. When I talked about Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, I wasn’t talking about who is the best in the world, but rather that, if someone had the money to buy a player for a normal team, Ronaldo would possibly fit in better. Now, in a very important team, Messi, surrounded by good players, is certainly better than Ronaldo.”
Fabio Capello, former Italian coach who managed Real Madrid, Juventus, and Milan.
“Ronaldo is an extraordinary player, but Messi is a genius. There are three geniuses in football: Pelé, Maradona, and Messi. They are periods. Ronaldo is very strong, he helps you win everything, but Messi is a genius and the best player.” – In an interview with ‘Sky Sports’.
Roberto Carlos, former Real Madrid and Brazilian National Team player.
“He wants to improve every day. That’s the difference with Messi. Leo is a phenomenon, but this side of Cristiano – training, professionalism, focus, motivation, success… Cristiano has an advantage over everyone else.” – In an interview with ‘Fox Sports’.
Alex Ferguson, legendary Manchester United manager
“Messi is a Barcelona player, and for me, that’s the difference. Ronaldo could have played for Stockport County and scored a hat-trick. He simply wanted to be the best player in the world.” – In an interview with the BBC.
Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool manager
“For me, Messi is the best, but I can’t admire Cristiano Ronaldo any more than I already do. We’ve played against both of them and they’re almost impossible to mark. If I had to define a perfect player, it would be Cristiano Ronaldo’s height, jump, and speed. Along with that, his professionalism is perfect. It couldn’t be better. Messi has lower physical attributes since birth. But he makes everything look simple. That’s why I like him more, but Cristiano Ronaldo is absolutely perfect,” he told the YouTube channel ‘Freekickerz’.
Antonio Cassano, ex-Roma and Real Madrid
“Cristiano doesn’t care about the team, he doesn’t want to give assists, he only thinks about scoring goals. Cristiano is a developed talent, while Messi needs to be alongside Michael Jordan, Roger Federer and Maradona, it’s something we’ll never see again.” – In an interview with ‘Sky Sports’.
Claudio Pizarro, Peruvian striker ex-Bayern
“Credit must be given to Cristiano Ronaldo, because he works hard. He works very hard to reach the level he is at. Messi is a natural. I believe Messi is the best player.” – In a live Instagram broadcast.
Mircea Lucescu, Romanian coach, former Inter and Shakhtar manager.
“They are both phenomenal, but in my teams I would make Messi play more.” – In an interview with ‘Corriere dello Sport’.
Pelé, considered the best in history, is the King of Football.
The King is a special case. In an interview with the ‘Pilhado channel’ in March of this year, he placed Cristiano Ronaldo as superior.
“There’s a lot of balance. Today, Cristiano is the most stable, consistent, and has been at this level for at least ten years. He doesn’t have Neymar’s technical talent, but he has more skill in all the other qualities that make a great player. I think the Portuguese player is the best because he’s more consistent, but we can’t forget Messi, obviously. But Barcelona’s number 10 isn’t a striker.”
However, about a month later, he told ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’ that Messi would be the better player between the two stars.
“He’s very skillful, he provides assists, passes, scores goals, and dribbles well. If we were on the same team, opponents would have to fear two of us, not just one. Today, Messi is the most complete player.”
Let’s count it as a draw.
Paolo Maldini, former Milan and Italian national team player
“I would say Messi (is the best), even though Ronaldo is phenomenal, but the Argentinian is the essence of football. He reminds me of Maradona being beaten without being able to say anything.” – on ‘Sport Festival’.
Paul Scholes, former midfielder and Manchester United legend.
“I keep thinking about the group of players I’ve shared the pitch with: Eric Cantona, Zinédine Zidane, Pirlo, Xavi, Cristiano Ronaldo… And the best of them all is Lionel Messi.” – In an interview with the ‘London Evening Star’.
Roy Keane, former Manchester United
“I think there’s a big debate about him [Ronaldo] and Messi, but in the last six months, I think he’s on another level. Ronaldo is alone. It’s not natural ability, although he’s brilliant. It’s pure work. He has a lot of courage, he’s a genius. I think, based on his recent form, I prefer him over Messi,” he said in an interview with ‘ITV’.
Francesco Totti, Roma idol and World Cup champion with Italy.
“We’re talking about three football aliens [referring to Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar]. I think that, in the end, Ronaldo will be ahead of the others.” – In an interview with Roma’s official website.
Carlos Tevez, former Manchester United, Juventus and Argentina national team player.
“Cristiano is totally different from Messi. When Leo was starting out, he didn’t even go near the academy. But Cristiano had to work and prepare to be the best, while for Leo it came naturally. These are the biggest differences I see between the two best players on the planet. Messi plays a different sport. For Messi, scoring three goals is normal.” – In an interview with ‘ESPN’.
Dimitar Berbatov, ex-Manchester United
“Because he’s by far the best of all time. Ronaldo is brilliant, but Messi is more my type of player. He sees the game in a very clear way. He can score, create, the complete player, probably the best in history.” – In an interview with ‘ESPN’.
Ryan Giggs, Manchester United legend
“It’s a privilege to watch him play. What he did in Portugal, England and Spain, but also for the Portuguese national team, is incredible. I love Messi, but CR7 is above him.” – In an interview with ‘Sky Sports’.
Pepe, formerly of Real Madrid and currently playing for Porto.
“I prefer Cristiano because he’s more complete than Messi. He plays well on both sides of the field. But both are great players.” – In an interview with ‘Globoesporte.com’.
Gary Lineker, former striker for the England national team and Barcelona.
“Ronaldo or Messi? I really like Cristiano, but Messi is from another world.” – In an interview with ‘Mundo Deportivo’.
Diego Maradona, former Barcelona, Napoli and Argentina national team player.
“I can’t remember seeing Lionel Messi play badly. I prefer Messi to Cristiano, but I have to make it clear that the other one is an animal. The history of football will remember Messi. Football gave him so much, as much as he gave to the sport, and for me, winning the World Cup wouldn’t change anything.” – In an interview with ‘TyC Sports’.
Thierry Henry, former Barcelona, Arsenal and French national team player.
“Lionel Messi is the best player in the world, but I respect the amount of work Cristiano has put into the game. But Messi is an aberration.” – In an interview with the BBC.
Final result:
In the end, the results were as follows: Cristiano Ronaldo received 11 votes, while Messi got 40 “points” in the voting for the 50 personalities. But no, dear reader, the count isn’t wrong. It’s just that, since Pelé expressed differing opinions in a very short space of time – and he is the King of Football – we prefer to count it as if he had given one vote to each.