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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are arguably two of the best players to have graced the game. During an illustrious two-decade-long career, both have scored goals and won titles galore for club and country.
Ronaldo and Messi are the only players to have scored over 100 goals in the Champions League and win at least five Ballon d'Or awards. Both players moved clubs this summer - with Ronaldo returning to Manchester United and Messi moving to PSG.
Despite being on the wrong side of 30, both players have continued to deliver the goods. Recently, Messi led from the front in Argentina's triumphant Copa America 2021 campaign, scoring four goals and bagging five assists. Meanwhile, Ronaldo, who won the Capocannoniere award last season, has become the most prolific scorer in international football this summer.
Over the years, many top players have either played with one or both these legends, or seen them from close quarters. On that note, here's a look at five such players who view Ronaldo as a better player than Messi:
#5 Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas is one of the finest goalkeepers to have graced the game. He won every major trophy during his legendary career.
The legendary Real Madrid goalkeeper had many a duel with Lionel Messi, who was then playing for Barcelona. Casillas also played five years with Cristiano Ronaldo at Madrid, winning a Champions League and La Liga title.
So it's not surprising that the most capped goalkeeper in Champions League history would pick Ronaldo as a better player than Messi. Casillas once told Cadena Cope in this regard:
"I'd choose Cristiano over Messi because he's a player who gives us so much every season and he's a player I spend time with every day. I know him, know who he is, know how he trains, know what he wants and where he wants to get to."
Ronaldo stayed on at Madrid after Casillas left in the summer of 2014. Meanwhile, Messi moved to PSG this summer after Barcelona failed to offer him a contract extension.
#4 Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders to have played the game. Though he never played with Ronaldo, Zidane faced a young Messi during the latter years of his playing days at Real Madrid.
A decade later, Zidane was back in Madrid, this time as a manager. He led the club to an unprecedented three consecutive Champions League titles, with Ronaldo playing a key role in each triumph.
Unsurprisingly, the 1998 FIFA World Cup winner picked Ronaldo as the better player, calling the Portuguese the 'greatest of all time':
“Cristiano is the best. Messi is his rival and it's the rivalry everyone wants to see,” Zidane said. “But Ronaldo is phenomenal. There are no words to describe him. He is much better than me even though I had a great career. He's the greatest of all time.”
Ronaldo was one of the crown jewels of Zidane's star-studded Madrid team that won a plethora of big titles.
#3 Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos, one of the best full-backs in the history of football, never played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. The legendary full-back, who has the most goals by a defender in Champions League history, met Messi a few times while he was at Real Madrid.
A star performer at Madrid for almost a decade, Carlos says Ronaldo is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of his training and professionalism. He said:
“I watch him (Cristiano) train every day and the way he works is exciting,” the legendary left-back said. “He wants to improve every day. That's the difference with Messi. Leo is a phenomenon, but that side of Cristiano, of training, professionalism, focus, motivation, success... Cristiano has an advantage over all the others.”
Roberto Carlos left Madrid two years before Ronaldo arrived at the club. But a Madridista to the core, Carlos experienced Ronaldo's staggering exploits from close quarters.
#2 Michael Owen
Michael Owen was one of the most predatory strikers in the game during his playing days.
The former Manchester United striker didn't play with either Messi or Ronaldo. In fact, Owen arrived at United in the same summer that saw Ronaldo move to Real Madrid.
Considering that Ronaldo is a more versatile scorer than Messi, Owen picked the Portuguese over the latter, saying:
“Goalscoring is the hardest art in football and [Ronaldo] makes it look so easy. Head, left foot, right foot. Messi is a decent header of a ball but if you're looking at all-round players, you go head-to-head with Messi and Ronaldo, you'd say Ronaldo has a lot more different attributes, let's say. He's probably always been quicker, right foot, left foot and header of a ball. I think Messi is outstanding in certain attributes, but as an all-round physique, Ronaldo is such an all-round player."
Owen, who also played for Real Madrid, retired from the game at the end of the 2012-13 season.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is one of the hottest strikers in the game at the moment. Only 22, the Frenchman has won a plethora of league titles and won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France.
Although he has been joined by Messi at PSG, Mbappe has long been an admirer of Ronaldo, saying:
“From one year to the next, my choice changes between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, even if I have to admit to picking Ronaldo more often. I loved him when I was younger.”
Mbappe almost joined Real Madrid this summer, but has stayed put at PSG.
