"The most complete player ever" - When Cesc Fabregas picked between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Como manager Cesc Fabregas played alongside Lionel Messi and against Cristiano Ronaldo, and gave a firm response when asked who the better player was between the pair. The former midfielder made his preference clear in an interview with the Daily Telegraph in 2018, picking Messi over Ronaldo.

In the interview from around seven years ago, the Spaniard praised Cristiano Ronaldo as a competitor, but pointed out that Lionel Messi was on another level. He said that people who played with the Argentine or have good football knowledge would understand that he is the most complete player ever.

At the time, Fabregas pointed out that a FIFA World Cup triumph would help Messi's legacy and the Argentine achieved that goal four years later. He also stated that both Messi and Ronaldo needed each other to be better but ranked the former higher. He said (via GOAL);

“For me, Leo will always be the best player ever, with or without the World Cup. Of course, I know when we talk in 20 or 30 years, if you win the World Cup, the future generations who do not watch him now will be even more clear on the fact Leo was the best because they can say ‘he won a World Cup’. But people who have played with him or know about football will tell you he is the best and the most complete player ever.

“Cristiano is fantastic and everyone admires him for what he does, the guy is a competitor. But talent-wise and when we talk about the complete player, Leo became the best goalscorer ever, became the best passer ever, he can score with both feet, his head, he can dribble around four players. He has vision to make assists, he is the most complete ever, no doubt. People want to put Leo up against Cristiano and of course they both need each other to make themselves better, but we are talking about different teams, different groups, different moments.

“I think they just respect each other and get on with it. It’s been going on too long for either of them to get annoyed by it.”

The Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo debate has lingered for years, continuing even with the superstar duo in the twilight of their respective careers. The pair have won countless individual and collective accolades over the course of their respective careers and are, without doubt, the two greatest players of their generation.

Sergio Aguero mocks Cristiano Ronaldo fan iShowSpeed after Lionel Messi request

Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero mocked famous Cristiano Ronaldo fan and streamer iShowSpeed ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA. The pair were at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where Lionel Messi and Inter Miami took to the field for the tournament opener against Al Ahly.

iShowSpeed asked Aguero to link him up with Messi before the game, and the retired striker asked about his love for Ronaldo. He then went on to throw a jab at the streamer, asking if the Al-Nassr man would feature at the Club World Cup or watch from home.

"But [Cristiano] Ronaldo plays here [at the Club World Cup]? Or no? Oh, maybe he has to watch."

Lionel Messi ignored attempts from the streamer, who wore a Cristiano Ronaldo shirt, to exchange pleasantries in the tunnel before he took to the pitch against Al Ahly. His side went on to play a goalless draw against the Egyptian outfit in their Group A opener.