Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? When Chelsea star Marc Cucurella made his pick

Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella once opted for Lionel Messi ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate. The Spanish left-back recently made the news by scoring the only goal in the Blues' 1-0 win over Manchester United on Friday, May 16.

The result helped the London giants stay in contention for a place in the Champions League next season. Chelsea are currently fourth in the league table with one game left to play, although Aston Villa and Manchester City are breathing down their neck.

A video recently surfaced from November 2022, which shows a young fan go up to Cucurella to get an autograph. When the Spaniard is asked to choose between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he gives a swift response (00:10).

"Messi," said Cucurella.

The two superstars of modern football have captivated fans of all ages throughout their careers. The Argentinean and the Portuguese are currently in the final phase of their careers, but continue to be the benchmark of excellence.

La Pulga currently plies his trade with Inter Miami, although his contract expires at the end of this season. Lionel Messi has registered 44 goals and 21 assists from 55 games across competitions for the Herons to date.

Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr, meanwhile, also runs out at the end of next month. CR7 has scored 91 goals and set up 19 more from 103 outings for the Saudi club to date.

Who have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo named as their hardest-ever opponents?

Lionel Messi once opted for Spanish right-back Pablo Maffeo as the hardest defender he has ever faced. Speaking in 2020, as cited by The Mirror, La Pulga added that he didn't complain as he was comfortable with the physical aspects of football.

"Pablo Maffeo, when he was at Girona, was the hardest defender I've ever faced. I've never been one to complain. I believe that physical contact is part of football," said Messi.

Meanwhile, speaking to Coach Mag in 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo named Chelsea legend Ashley Cole as his greatest foe.

"Over the years I had some great battles with Ashley Cole. He does not give you a second to breathe. He was such a tenacious player when he was at his peak, quick, tough in the tackle. You knew it would never be an easy game," said Ronaldo.

CR7 and La Pulga are likely to face off one last time at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over six years at Sportskeeda. He has written 9000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 19.5 million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

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Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee