Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has weighed in on the age-old debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, naming the player he considers the greatest of all time (GOAT), Soccernet.football reports.
Messi and Ronaldo, widely acknowledged as two of the best players in football history, have dazzled fans with over 800 goals each for club and country while collecting numerous individual accolades and trophies.
Both legends have made their mark on the UEFA Champions League, where they are the top two scorers, with multiple titles to their names in several countries. Despite being in the later stages of their careers, Messi and Ronaldo continue to impress on the global stage.
During an interaction reported by GOAL, Eriksen shared his thoughts on various aspects of the game, singling out Ronaldo in several categories.
The Dane named the Portuguese forward as the best goalscorer and big-game player, reflecting on his six months as Ronaldo’s teammate at Manchester United during the first half of the 2022-23 season. However, when it came to the GOAT debate, Eriksen gave his vote to Messi.
The exchange went as follows:
“Goalscorer: Ronaldo”
“Underrated: Luka Modric”
“Speed: Mbappe”
“Best friend: Victor Lindelof”
“Potential: Kobbie Mainoo”
“Big-game player: Cristiano Ronaldo”
“Skills: Jadon Sancho”
“GOAT: Messi”
On the international stage, both Messi and Ronaldo have faced mixed fortunes in their most recent tournaments.
Ronaldo struggled at Euro 2024, failing to score in five matches, a first in his 11 major international tournaments. Despite this, he set new records, including becoming the joint top assist-provider in Euro history and the oldest player to score in a Euro shootout.
Messi, on the other hand, had an injury-plagued campaign but managed a goal and an assist in five games. Despite his challenges, Argentina retained their title with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Colombia, earning Messi his 45th title for club and country.