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Arsenal star Declan Rice once weighed in on the never-ending GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The midfielder hailed the Argentine legend as the best ever and rated him above his Portuguese archrival.
Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the football space for the past two decades, leaving fans divided over who is the best of all time. Many adore the Inter Miami ace for his sheer brilliance on the pitch, while others admire the Al-Nassr superstar for his hard work, dedication, and zeal to be the best.
Rice, however, on multiple occasions, has made clear his stance when it comes to the GOAT debate, repeatedly opting for Messi. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) in 2022, the Arsenal midfielder wrote (via Bolavip):
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"Lionel Messi. The best ever."
During an interview on The Overlap with Gary Neville that same year, the 26-year-old also spoke about his admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. Rice admitted that he prefers Messi because of what he does with the ball at his feet. He said:
“Messi. Obviously, it’s such a hard question because what he and Ronaldo have done is like a freak of nature, no one will ever do that ever again…But, Messi what he does with the football, it’s so special I love it, I don’t think we’ll ever see a player like him ever again.“
(Watch from 9:47)
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are in the twilight of their careers, but still going strong for their respective teams. Declan Rice, meanwhile, has been instrumental for the Gunners this season, contributing eight goals and 10 assists in 49 matches across competitions.
He will look to help Arsenal overcome Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Champions League semifinal second leg on Wednesday (April 7) and secure a spot in the final. The north London club trail 1-0 from the first leg.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's performance this season
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been instrumental for their respective clubs in the ongoing campaign. Messi, who has struggled with fitness in the 2025 season, has posted nine goals and three assists in 14 games for Inter Miami.
He guided the Herons to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where they were eliminated 5-1 on aggregate by the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Florida-based club are fourth in the Eastern Conference of the MLS with 21 points from 10 matches.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has been firing on all cylinders in the 2024-25 season. The legendary forward has contributed 33 goals and four assists in 38 matches across competitions. However, his Al-Nassr side are at risk of another trophyless campaign.
They lost 3-2 to Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League semifinal and trail league leaders Al-Ittihad by eight points with five games to go.
