"He makes people say 'I go to the stadium because of his elegance'" - When Thomas Muller picked GOAT in Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate

In 2023, Bayern Munich and Germany legend Thomas Muller explained why he chose Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT debate. Messi and Ronaldo are two of the greatest players in the history of football and debate over who is better has raged on since they began their dominance over the sport.

In a discussion at the time with DAZN via GOAL, Muller weighed in on the eternal debate between the two stars, saying:

“Who is the greatest of all time? The GOAT for me is Messi because he makes people say 'I go to the stadium because of his elegance' and at the same time he is very effective in scoring goals and achieving records and titles. Cristiano is also a strong candidate in two categories which are stats and titles, but Messi is simply more subtle and elegant.”

Thomas Muller never played on the same team with Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, but faced the pair at club and international competitions. He faced Messi 10 times, winning seven and losing three while he lost five, won four and drew one in the same number of games where he faced Ronaldo.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's football legacies

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the greatest footballers in the history of the sport with multiple goals and awards individually and for their various teams. The pair have an arguably unassailable legacy in the sport and have inspired billions of people across the globe with their consistent exploits on the pitch.

Ronaldo started his career in his native Portugal with Sporting Lisbon before securing moves to Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. He also led his nation to their first three pieces of silverware and claimed the Ballon d’Or award five times in a career that sees him as the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the sport with over 900 goals.

Messi began his career with Barcelona in the scenic Catalonia region of Spain and came through their famed La Masia academy to become their greatest ever player. He enjoyed a two year stint with Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Blaugrana in 2022 before joining his current side Inter Miami in 2023 on a free transfer. He holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or awards with eight and famously helped end his nation's three decade long wait for major silverware when he led them to a FIFA World Cup win sandwiched between consecutive Copa America wins.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo remain active despite no longer being at the peak of their powers at 38 and 40 years old, respectively.