Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have set the bar incredibly high: Jose Mourinho

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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both lucky and unlucky to be playing in the same generation, said former Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho while commenting on the long-running debate on who's the best.

Speaking on the latest instalment of 'On the Touchline' on beIN SPORTS, Mourinho praised both football stars and said had there been only one of them at a given time, he could have bagged 10 Golden Boots.

Both are 5 times Ballon d' or winners.

"I think they are lucky and unlucky to be playing in the same generation. They are lucky because they can compete with each other. They look at each other in a positive way and get extra motivation. If there was only one of them, he would have 10 Golden Boots," Mourinho said.

The 56-year-old Portuguese coach said that Ronaldo and Messi have raised the performance bar very high.

"Now, I think they have put the bar really high. And you have the players coming behind, who I like to call the 'little monsters'.

"The bar has to be high, so it has to be incredible motivation for Neymar, (Kylian) Mbappe and (Antoine) Griezmann.

"Unfortunately, Cristiano and Messi will not last forever," Mourinho, who was sacked as Manchester United coach on December, added.