Cristiano Ronaldo has named the one player that can contend with himself and Lionel Messi in the ‘greatest of all time’ debate.
Ronaldo and Messi are widely regarded as two of the greatest football players of all time, with some even considering them the best in history. However, others bring figures like Pele, Diego Maradona, and Johan Cruyff into the discussion, while older fans might include Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.
It’s a debate that lacks universal consensus, but there’s general agreement that Ronaldo and Messi are certainly among the elite.
In a November interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo was asked if Messi was the greatest player he had ever seen. Ronaldo replied, “Probably, yes. Messi and [Zinedine] Zidane are probably the greatest players I’ve faced.”
He described Messi as “an amazing player” and noted their long-standing rivalry over 16 years, emphasizing their mutual respect. While he isn’t close friends with Messi in a personal sense, he values their relationship as teammates.
Zidane, who managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid from 2015 to 2018, won three Champions League titles with him. Zidane, known for his exceptional passing and dribbling, is considered one of the greatest midfielders ever. His final act as a player was leading France to the 2006 World Cup final, though he was sent off for his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
Cristiano Ronaldo recently named one player who, alongside himself and Lionel Messi, deserves a spot in the “greatest of all time” debate. While Ronaldo and Messi are widely regarded as two of the greatest footballers ever, others argue for legends like Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stefano, and Ferenc Puskas.
In a November interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo was asked if Messi was the greatest player he had ever seen. Ronaldo replied, “Probably, yes. Messi and [Zinedine] Zidane are probably the greatest players I’ve faced.” He praised Messi as “an amazing player” and acknowledged their shared stage over 16 years, describing their relationship as one of mutual respect rather than personal friendship.
Zidane, who managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid from 2015 to 2018, won three Champions League titles with him. Zidane, known for his exceptional passing and dribbling, is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time. His final act as a player was leading France to the 2006 World Cup final, though he was sent off for his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi. Zidane retired with over 800 club and international appearances and more than 150 goals.
Zidane won the Champions League and La Liga with Real Madrid, a Serie A title with Juventus, and a World Cup and European Championship with France. He also secured the Ballon d’Or in 1998. In 2017, Zidane called Ronaldo the greatest player of all time, praising his achievements and acknowledging Ronaldo’s superior impact compared to his own career.
