Leroy Sane gives his verdict on the Messi-Ronaldo debate

FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015
FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015

What's the story?

Manchester City man Leroy Sane has given his verdict on the longstanding question: who is the greatest of all time - Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?

In case you didn't know...

The many exploits of Barcelona ace Lionel Messi and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo over the years have prompted fans and experts to compare and scrutinize the two so as to determine who the greatest player of all time is.

The GOAT question has dominated newspapers and television programmes leaving the table open for hotly-contested debates.

The talismanic duo has transcended football, winning several titles and accolades including a record five Ballon d'Or awards each.

The heart of the matter

German winger Leroy Sane has now made his pick between the two after he was encountered with a question in a Twitter Q&A.

The 22-year-old star was asked who the greatest player of all time is, to which he named two players.

One of the players is Barcelona ace Lionel Messi while the other is Brazilian and Barcelona legend Ronaldinho.

During the Q&A, Sane simply replied, "I guess I’d go for either Messi or Ronaldinho 👏🏾."

That Sane chose Messi is hardly surprising as the winger has once revealed that Manchester City and former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola had advised him to play with the same kind of freedom as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Speaking to The Guardian, Sane said, "Pep told me to play with freedom like Messi, not like Messi – it’s impossible."

"Be free like Messi, have fun, do things like he wants from a striker like the end of the space [near goal] – take the option to shoot or give an assist."

What's next?

Sane has been doing incredibly well in the last few years having won the Premier League with City and even bagging the PFA Player of the Year award last season.

The reigning champions are set to go against Manchester United in a much-awaited derby on Sunday.

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