'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are widely regarded as two of the best players to have graced the beautiful game.
Throughout their nearly two-decade-long careers, the duo have been standout performers for club and country. Two of the most prolific scorers since the turn of the century, Messi and Ronaldo have tallied almost 1000 goal contributions apiece.
They are the only two players to win at least five Ballon d'Or awards and score 100 Champions League goals. Messi and Ronaldo are still going strong despite being on the wrong side of 30.
Many players and managers in the game have often picked one player over the other. But there are a few who have refused to call either Messi or Ronaldo a better player than the other. Here, we give you five such individuals who refused to pick between Messi and Ronaldo.
#5 Luis Enrique
Ahead of a meeting against Portugal last year, Spain manager Luis Enrique was asked who he thought was the better player between Messi and Ronaldo.
However, Enrique, who managed Messi for three years at Barcelona, refused to pick one. Instead, he said both players deserved praise for their high level of performance despite being on the wrong side of 30.
"What is worthy of praise is the fact that players like Cristiano and Leo Messi keep getting older but maintaining such a high-level thanks to their professionalism, their ambition and their capacity to be motivated and keep achieving goals. Both Cristiano and Messi are examples of that," Enrique said.
Recently, Enrique took Spain to the semi-finals of Euro 2020. The tournament saw Cristiano Ronaldo score five goals and record an assist, but his efforts failed to avert holders Portugal's Round-of-16 exit.
#4 Andre Gomes
Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes is one of a handful of players who have played with both Messi and Ronaldo. The 28-year-old played alongside Messi at Barcelona for three years (2016-18), while Gomes plays with Ronaldo for Portugal.
During an interview with Catalunya Radio's Tot Costa program four years ago, the then Barcelona midfielder was asked to pick between Messi and Ronaldo. Gomes simply replied that he had immense respect for both players, and refused to choose one over the other, saying:
"I do not like to compare them out of respect. I will never answer it. I'm Portuguese, and I have affection for Cristiano. As much as I do for Messi, who is my teammate at Barcelona."
The 2017-18 La Liga winner scored just three times for Barcelona in nearly 80 games. For Portugal, Gomes, who now turns out for Everton at club level, is yet to open his account after playing 29 games.
#3 Ronald Koeman
Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman managed Lionel Messi for only one season at the club. During his ongoing tenure at the Nou Camp, Koeman was on the receiving end of a Cristiano Ronaldo brace in a Champions League game last season.
Ahead of the game, Koeman was asked to pick between Messi and Ronaldo. But the Dutchman refused to be drawn into the debate. Instead, he lauded both players for their longevity, calling them the best players in the last decade and a half. Koeman said:
“It’s fantastic that these two players have been so long at this top level in the world. They are the best players, in my opinion, in the last 10-15 years. Being successful all this time is incredible. It’s a great compliment to those players."
While acknowledging that both players are different but 'incredible', Koeman added:
“They are different, but they have incredible stats about scoring goals, hat-tricks, about winning prizes. It’s not nice to say who is better because both are incredible, I admire both players because they gave us so many nice evenings with great goals, with great titles. Let’s hope we can enjoy them tomorrow night.”
As things turned out, Ronaldo scored his first Champions League goals against Barcelona while Messi drew a blank. That meant Juventus won the group ahead of the Blaugrana.
#2 Andrea Pirlo
During his lone season in charge of Juventus in 2020-21, Andrea Pirlo managed Cristiano Ronaldo. The Bianconeri manager faced Lionel Messi twice, losing at home before a Ronaldo masterclass inspired Juventus to victory at the Camp Nou.
Ahead of the second of those meetings, Pirlo was asked to make a pick between Messi and Ronaldo. But the former player echoed his Barcelona counterpart Koeman and said:
"Koeman was right, it would be wrong to say who is better between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They are two phenomenons that put on spectacles for millions of fans. We just have to thank them."
During his difficult stint at Juventus, Pirlo failed to lead the club to a tenth-straight Serie A title. But the Bianconeri did win the Coppa Italia, making Pirlo the fourth Juventus manager to win the competition as both player and manager.
While Pirlo remains without a job this season, Ronaldo has returned to Manchester United. Messi, on the other hand, moved to Ligue 1 giants PSG.
#1 Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba has been in sizzling form this season. The Frenchman opened his campaign with four assists before bagging three more in the following four games. Pogba has been joined at Old Trafford by Ronaldo, who has scored thrice in two league games.
During an interview with the club's website earlier this year, Pogba spoke about his future teammate Ronaldo, and comparisons between Ronaldo and Messi:
"Messi or Ronaldo? It's a nice but trick question as there is no best for me. Two different players. They are two-player who both bring joy to watch. Many people are going to have their own opinion of them, just two legends," Pogba was quoted as saying by the official website of Manchester United."
Pogba, along with Ronaldo, is expected to play a key role as United look to end their near decade-long Premier League title drought this season.
