Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and more: Julian Alvarez names his 5 greatest footballers of all time

Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez named his top five greatest footballers of all time, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. As Messi's compatriot, the Argentine has also shared the stage with him at important stages, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Despite being at the twilight of their careers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continue to be among the greatest players in the world today. The legendary Argentine is currently at Inter Miami and has recorded 32 goals and 17 assists in 41 outings across competitions this year. Meanwhile, Ronaldo has recorded five goals and one assist in six outings this season for Al-Nassr.

In an interview with journalist Ibai Llanos, Julian Alvarez was asked to name the top five players in the history of football. The Argentine ranked them from fifth and first, saying (via YouTube):

"Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazario, Alfredo Di Stefano, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi."

Lionel Messi has shared the stage with Julian Alvarez in 38 games, recording five joint-goal participations. All of the games were for Argentina, including the 2021 and 2024 Copa Americas, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He has not shared the stage or played against Cristiano Ronaldo.

When Ousmane Dembele made his pick between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Sevilla v FC Barcelona - La Liga Santander - Source: Getty

In an interview with France Football, Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele made his pick between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Dembele has played alongside Messi in his former club, Barcelona. He said (via Forbes):

"I grew up watching FC Barcelona, so naturally [it’s] Messi. For me, he’s the greatest. He’s a player who inspires me, he’s unique! I’m very happy and proud to have played with him."

Messi and Dembele have shared the pitch 95 times for Barcelona, recording 15 joint-goal contributions. While the Argentine left the Catalan side in 2021, Dembele left the club to sign for another one of Messi's former clubs, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), in the summer of 2023.

Meanwhile, the Frenchman has faced Ronaldo three times so far. This includes two games when the Portuguese was at Real Madrid and Dembele was at Borussia Dortmund. Their last time facing each other was in the EURO 2024 quarter finals, where France beat Portugal on penalties.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have established themselves as among the greatest footballers to grace the beautiful game over their two-decade-long domination. While fans and pundits continue to argue over who's the better footballer, the football world will perhaps always remain divided on the matter.

About the author

Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.

When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.

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Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar