EPL star Wilfried Zaha weighs in on Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate

In the latest episode of Rio Ferdinand's 'Locker Room' series, EPL winger Wilfried Zaha has made his choice between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

EPL legend Rio Ferdinand seemed particularly curious to know what the Crystal Palace winger thought of football's most popular debate and asked Zaha to choose between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

EPL winger Zaha chooses Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's best player

Lionel Messi is a better all-round footballer, according to EPL star Zaha

While the former Manchester United star was diplomatic with his answers, it is fairly evident that the EPL winger considers Lionel Messi the best player in the world.

The Crystal Palace talisman made a distinction between the two modern-day legends and said that while Cristiano Ronaldo is an exceptional goalscorer, Lionel Messi is the better footballer.

"I'd say Messi. I have this dispute all the time. I rate Ronaldo massively, he's the best goalscorer in football. As a footballer, I feel Messi is the best."

The EPL forward also commended Cristiano Ronaldo's work-rate and said that he found the Portuguese superstar's dedication to the sport incredible. Cristiano Ronaldo has grown astronomically since his departure from EPL club Manchester United and continues to occupy the uppermost echelons of world football alongside Lionel Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo turned up to Juventus training 4 hours early yesterday.And results from various fitness tests showed he was actually fitter than he was before the season was paused. The guy is an absolute MACHINE! 😂 pic.twitter.com/lf2jF3WfvS

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) June 4, 2020

"With Ronaldo, you can that he has worked like a machine to be where he is at 35, it's madness to me!"

When asked to make a direct comparison, however, Zaha, who currently plies his trade with EPL club Crystal Palace, acknowledged that Lionel Messi's supernatural abilities on the pitch make him the best player in the football world.

"As an all-round player, when Lionel Messi plays it's just nice to watch. He's got his head down but he'll see the football somehow. I feel like for me, it's Messi. But I'm not taking anything away from Cristiano Ronaldo's hard work because he's an unbelievable player as well."

Wilfried Zaha also praised his fellow EPL wingers Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane, and Anthony Martial for serving as references to him and other players in the EPL.

The EPL star heaped praise on Brazilian winger Neymar and said that the Paris Saint-Germain superstar embodied everything that a winger should aspire for in the game.

"I look at Neymar quite a bit, he's a joke. He likes to dribble quite a bit, but sometimes he'll run in behind. As an all-round player he's the benchmark, because Neymar, on his day, I feel like he's unbeatable."

Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Lionel Messi are EPL star Wilfried Zaha's favourite players

Neymar, who has lined up alongside Lionel Messi and played against Cristiano Ronaldo in the past, has often been accused by pundits and opponents of using flashy trickery to humiliate his opponents.

Wilfried Zaha stood up for Neymar and said that while the Brazilian does have several tricks up his sleeve, his skills always have a devastating impact on the match. Zaha himself is not averse to bouts of trickery and often leaves EPL defenders dumbfounded with his abilities.

"The difference is end product. You can talk about Neymar doing tricks or whatever, but once he gets his trick out, he's finishing it. He'll put it in the top corner, what can you say after that?"

Crystal Palace is currently 11th on the EPL table and has managed several decent performances so far. Wilfried Zaha himself has not been at his best and has 3 goals and 3 appearances from 28 appearances in the EPL so far.

The former Manchester United winger can be unplayable when in the mood and will be crucial to Crystal Palace's chances of finishing in the top half of the EPL table this season.