There has been a fierce debate for many years on who the better player out of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is.
The duo for more than decade were undoubtedly the best footballers on the planet and their rivalry was at its height as they competed for glory at Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Former Manchester United star Ronaldo left Madrid for Juventus back in 2018 and now three years later Messi's legendary career at the Nou Camp has come to an end after they were unable to sign him to a new deal.
The 34 year old now looks set for a spell in another top European league with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City interested in the world superstar.
Like there was with Ronaldo, there'd be plenty of clubs who would be willing to sign Ronaldo, though not so many who can afford him.
Back in 2015, when questioned about the pair, Sir Alex Ferguson spoke on what stood the duo so far above their peers.
He said: "Well, it’s an opinion obviously, there’ll be a 100 managers in the world saying ‘well my player, and my player, and my player’, whatever this exaggeration about a world class player is.
"The reason I say about Messi and Ronaldo: the consistency first of all. Their balance, their excellence on the ball, their courage, they’re never ever dented by a tackle - they get up, ‘give me the ball’.
“The goals they score, the level they’re playing at, the medals they’ve won, it only points to one thing: those two players - and I think most players, probably every one, would agree with me - these two guys are above everyone, there's no question about that.
“Fantastic to watch, and they never miss a game. They never seem to miss a game... they play all the time. They've given value to everyone in the world, they’re playing all the time”
Quizzed as to if which of the pair was the definitive number one, Ferguson, with a smile, responded: “Ronaldo’s my boy”.
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