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Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry recently expressed his views on who he considers the greatest athlete of all time between Lionel Messi and NFL icon Tom Brady. Henry and American football icon JJ Watt were asked to choose between Messi and Brady during a recent appearance on CBS Sports.
Amidst the frenzy over the 58th edition of the Super Bowl, former Houston Texans star JJ Watt was quizzed about the greatest ever competitors in the two sports. With 12 seasons of NFL under his belt, the seasoned defensive end also has a connection to soccer, having invested in Premier League outfit Burnley in 2023.
While fans largely expected Watt to side with Tom Brady due to his long-term history with the sport, the 34-year-old surprised everyone with his answer. Talking to CBS Sports, Watt said (via GOAL):
"How many Super Bowls does he have? I do have to say Lionel Messi is Lionel Messi. What an unbelievable talent. I do play a little bit of both sides of the fence now with the Burnley connection. I’ll give it to Messi."
Thierry Henry followed Watt's answer and heartily agreed with the NFL superstar on the subject. Having shared the pitch with Lionel Messi 89 times during his time at Barcelona, Henry said:
"I played with the big man. I give it to Lionel."
Messi and Brady are widely regarded to be among the greatest athletes of all time. While Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl rings under his belt, Lionel Messi has secured eight Ballons d'Or, four Champions League titles, and the FIFA World Cup, among other accolades.
Tom Brady refused to choose his favorite between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in a recent interview
Tom Brady is considered the best player in NFL history given his longevity, on-field talents, and stacked trophy cabinet. However, the 46-year-old retired quarterback shied away from naming his GOAT in football in a recent interaction.
Talking to popular YouTube sensation IShowSpeed at Dana White's Power Slap event in Las Vegas, Brady was asked to pick between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Speed, who is a known Ronaldo fan, questioned Brady on the topic in the presence of fellow social media influencers, Adin Ross and Kai Cenat.
Brady simply replied (via Mirror):
"Ronaldo or Messi? I can't pick."
Since hanging up his boots for good in 2023, Brady has ventured into various fields, including soccer. He became Chairman of a new Advisory Board at Birmingham City following his minority investment into the Championship club.
