“He’s a player who inspires me, he’s unique!” - Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? Ousmane Dembele chooses his GOAT

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Ousmane Dembele has picked his greatest ever player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The French star was recently asked which of the two legendary figures in football had the greatest influence on him as a player and made his choice between the two iconic forwards.

In a recent interview with France Football, the former Rennes, Borussia Dortmund, and Barcelona star picked his former teammate in Catalonia over his Portuguese rival, telling Forbes:

“I grew up watching FC Barcelona, so naturally [it’s] Lionel 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."

Dembele shared the pitch with Messi 95 times during their time together with Barcelona. The pair combined for 15 goals and averaged 2.28 points per game when on the pitch for the Catalan giants.

While Dembele never played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, he faced the Portuguese legend three times during his career. Twice it was with Borussia Dortmund, with each clash ending in a 2-2 draw in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and once with France, with Les Bleus emerging victorious on penalties in the European Championships.

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Artificial Intelligence picks winner of super Ballon d’Or between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

The Grok Artificial intelligence recently picked who it thought would win the upcoming super Ballon d’Or award between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The pair are widely believed to be two of the best players in the history of the sport and will likely go head to head for the rare honor in October.

When asked about who it felt would claim the award that has only been given once in the past, Grok said via Marca:

"The Super Ballon d'Or, a rare award for the greatest footballers of all decades, would likely fall to Lionel Messi today. His eight Ballon d'Ors, his 2022 World Cup triumph and his 45 major trophies far outweigh his competitors. Cristiano Ronaldo, with over 900 goals and five Champions League titles, is a close contender, but his absence from a World Cup weakens him. Both have redefined excellence, and the decision depends on whether individual awards and international glory or pure goalscoring are prioritised. There is no definitive answer: fans and pundits remain divided."

Messi and Ronaldo have the two most Ballon d’Or wins in the history of the sport with eight and five wins respectively. The pair will hope one of them can end the GOAT debate definitively by claiming the rare prize when it is awarded.