“In my opinion, the GOAT is Cristiano” - Manchester United star names Cristiano Ronaldo quality that ranks him above Lionel Messi

Manchester United's Tom Heaton recently shared his insights on Cristiano Ronaldo's qualities that, in his view, eclipse those of Lionel Messi.

The goalkeeper was notably a long-time teammate of the Portuguese legend during his tenure at the club. Heaton, who returned to Manchester United in 2021, the same year Ronaldo returned, has had the privilege of observing his journey from close quarters.

This firsthand experience has given Heaton a deep appreciation of the legendary forward, as he said in an interview with MUTV (via Manchester Evening News):

“In my opinion, the GOAT (greatest of all time) is Cristiano. Having been here with him the first time and then seeing how he improved, how he got better and made himself into the best player in the world.

“I’d just signed by the time he came back for his second stint, and seeing the same drive, hunger, being first in the gym, same appetite to work for me keeps him at that level. What he’s achieved has been incredible.”

During Cristiano Ronaldo's second spell at Manchester United, he exemplified his legendary status by netting 24 goals in 38 appearances across competitions. However, the dynamics at Carrington shifted with the arrival of Erik ten Hag as manager, leading to a fallout after a series of disciplinary incidents.

Everything got to a breaking point after the forward's highly controversial interview with Piers Morgan in November last year. This resulted in Ronaldo's exit from the team and his subsequent move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. In the Middle East, Ronaldo has continued to demonstrate his prolific goalscoring, with an impressive tally of 38 goals in 45 matches.

Lionel Messi, on the other hand, opted to leave Europe after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain was up in the summer, making the move to Inter Miami. He has already helped the MLS side win the Leagues Cup while reaching the final of the US Open Cup.

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Lionel Messi nearly joined Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia

In an eye-opening revelation, Lionel Messi disclosed his contemplation of joining Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League last summer. At 36, the legendary footballer found himself at a crossroads, as his tenure with Paris Saint-Germain came to a close.

In a candid conversation with TIME Magazine, Lionel Messi shared his inner turmoil (via Eurosport):

"I was thinking a lot about going to the Saudi league. I know the country and they have created a very powerful competition that can become an important league in the near future."

He continued:

“As the country’s tourism ambassador, it was a destination that attracted me, especially because I’ve enjoyed everything I have visited, because of how football is growing in the country and because of the effort they are putting into creating a top competition. It was Saudi Arabia or MLS, and both options seemed very interesting to me."

The Blaugrana legend wanted a nostalgic return to Catalan giants Barcelona, after spending a remarkable 17-year stretch at the club. However, that reunion proved elusive. Among lots of other options, playing with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League was available, but he eventually ended up on Miami's shores.