The perennial debate concerning Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has been exhausted over the last decade - but Sir Alex Ferguson's stance has always been clear.
Ferguson celebrates his 80th birthday on New Years' Eve and continues to watch Ronaldo with great pride from the Old Trafford stands.
The legendary former Manchester United boss signed a prospect from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and helped Ronaldo develop into the iconic figure he is today.
Ronaldo won three Premier League titles and the Champions League during his first spell in Manchester.
He arrived as a young raw talent and left for Real Madrid as the world's best player.
And Ferguson is said to have played an influential role in Ronaldo's sensational return to the Red Devils this summer.
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or awards in a stunning career, while Messi pulled clear of the Portuguese icon by securing his seventh golden ball during the 2021 ceremony in Paris in November.
Ferguson summed up the debate perfectly six years ago by comparing Ronaldo's versatility in different settings.
"People say 'who is the best player in the world?' And plenty of people quite rightly say Messi - you can't dispute that opinion," Ferguson explained back in 2015.
"But Ronaldo could play for Millwall, Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster Rovers… anyone, and score a hat-trick in a game. I'm not sure Messi could do it.
"Ronaldo's got two feet, he's quick, great in the air, he's brave - Messi's brave, of course. I think Messi's a Barcelona player."
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Ronaldo has enjoyed unprecedented success across three different countries in England, Spain and Italy.
Ferguson's nurturing of Ronaldo was one of his greatest triumphs of an incredible 27-year spell at United and the forward dominated at Real Madrid and Juventus.
Before returning to Old Trafford, Ronaldo won four Champions Leagues with Real and claimed two domestic titles with each club.
He also played a key part in Portugal's European Championship victory in 2016.
Messi, meanwhile, inspired Argentina to Copa America glory last summer and is widely considered the most gifted player ever.
The 34-year-old picked up 10 La Liga titles at Barcelona as well as four Champions League crowns.
Messi's success has all been with the Catalan giants and he has made a slow start to life in Paris after leaving the Nou Camp for PSG.
The Ronaldo and Messi debate will rumble on but football fans can agree it has been a privilege to watch two special talents reach seemingly unscalable heights in the last 15 years.
