The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri joined the never-ending football debate - who is GOAT among Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and shared his thoughts on Saturday. Rodri claimed the latest Ballon d'Or award after the legendary duo failed to earn the nomination in October this year.
Both Messi and Ronaldo dominated the biggest individual football award for the last two decades with the former winning it on record 8 times, the first in 2009 and last in 2023. Ronaldo also won 5 Ballon d'Or awards, his last coming in 2017, and kept the famous GOAT debate alive by leading the Argentine in the all-time goalscoring charts and more UEFA Champions League titles.
However, the debate was settled after Lionel Messi led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup glory. Now both players are approaching the end of their illustrious careers but the talk of 'who is the greatest of all time' remains on the surface.
Rodri, who has played against both Messi and Ronaldo at the highest level, picked the former Barcelona legend over Real Madrid's hero as the best footballer of all time. The Manchester City star said Ronaldo has been effective only when the attacker is in the area but Messi has been a threat everywhere on the pitch.
"I have no doubt, Messi," Rodri told The Mirror. "In the end, I always say it, Cristiano has managed to match Messi in many things, perhaps without the innate talent Leo has. Those of us who actually play against them immediately notice the difference. In Cristiano's case, you didn't want him to step into the area. When he did, he was lethal."
"But Messi was dangerous everywhere on the pitch," Rodri added. "When Messi got the ball, you'd think 'danger, something's going to happen, but I don't know what'. I remember when I started playing against him at 17-18 years old; he would dodge me like a bullfighter if I tried to take the ball from him. Right or left, it didn't matter. I had a feeling something bad was going to happen,"
