Cristiano Ronaldo finally had his say when it comes to the epic GOAT debate between himself and Lionel Messi, and the Portugal superstar emphatically backed himself despite not having a World Cup title in his trophy cabinet.
The 40-year-old has been linked with Messi his entire career. From trading Ballon d’Or awards and astonishing records to El Clásico battles, the two superstars have shared the limelight far beyond their time in Spain.
The question of Messi or Ronaldo has raged throughout the football world for nearly two decades, but for Ronaldo there is no debate; the Portuguese phenom believes he is “of course” the greatest of all time.
Ronaldo delivered the two-word response almost instantly when asked the question by Piers Morgan in Part 2 of their sit down interview. The Real Madrid legend then walked back his strong take slightly, claiming he is “one of the best for many people.”
When pressured by Morgan to flat out claim he is “number one,” Ronaldo responded, “Piers, I don’t care about that anymore. I see so many things. I see so many interviews [about] what I think... if I say something now, the people are not going to be surprised.
“The story speaks for itself. They have opinions... It’s O.K., no problem for me.”
Ronaldo Downplays Messi’s World Cup Triumph
Along with Messi’s eight Ballon d’Or awards to Ronaldo’s five, the Argentine’s World Cup trophy is at the crux of the GOAT conversation in football. The Inter Miami star led La Albiceleste to World Cup glory in 2022, cementing his status for many as the best player to ever lace up a pair of boots.
Yet Ronaldo does not hold Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph to the same weight.
“How many World Cups did Argentina win before Messi? Two times? This is normal. These countries are used to winning big competitions,” Ronaldo said.
The forward went on to say it is not surprising when nations with storied histories of greatness, like Argentina and Brazil, win World Cup titles.
Ronaldo then used Portugal as the benchmark, reminding the public that the country had won zero titles before him and now have three pieces of silverware in their trophy case—a European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles.
Still, all eyes will be on Ronaldo and Portugal at the 2026 World Cup to see if the former Manchester United standout can finally claim the one trophy that has alluded him his entire career.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cristiano Ronaldo Rules on Lionel Messi’s World Cup Triumph to Settle GOAT Debate.
