“There is no comparison as to who’s the best” - Gary Lineker makes emphatic claim on Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo debate

The Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate is one of the hottest topics in football. The two all-time greats have split the opinions of many over the years, and former England striker Gary Lineker has now made his pick.

During an interview with Marca, Lineker addressed the constant comparisons between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona before bringing Cristiano Ronaldo into the picture. He said:

"They are two Argentines, it is true, but the reason [I love them] is easy: I love football and what they gave to the game, nobody has given it to them," the Englishman said about Leo and Diego."

"Without comparing them, both did things that the rest of us mortals cannot even imagine. They gave us happiness. There were other greats, like the two Ronaldo's, for example, but I consider them more as tremendous scorers."

The 60-year-old continued:

"Sometimes people fall for me when I say that Messi is more than Cristiano. I also love Ronaldo. I respect him very much, he is a giant too, but my honest football opinion is that there is no comparison as to who is the best. Because of the things that Leo does. That said, it even hurts me to compare them, because they are both gigantic."

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Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo: What do the statistics say?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated world football for almost two decades

The debate over who is the best player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will surely go on for several years. This is because both superstars have put up GOAT-worthy numbers in their careers. While statistics may not settle this debate, they could help us better understand what the two players' games are all about.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 790 goals for club and country so far in his career. Lionel Messi is closely behind, with 752 goals to his name. When it comes to assists, the Argentine has a fair lead with 315 to his name compared to his Portuguese counterpart's 227.

From the above records, one can easily see that CR7 is more of a scorer, while Leo thrives as both a scorer and a creator. Both superstars have achieved tremendous success at club and international levels and will always be considered among the greatest footballers in history.