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River Plate and Colombian midfielder Juan Fernando Quintero has chosen Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in an episode of the talk show 'Tell Me King' (via Comutricolor). He heaped high praise on the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) talisman and backed him as the greatest player of all time.
Quintero said that he admired him a lot mainly because the Argentine star is one of the best left-wingers in the world. The River Plate man himself is fielded as a left-winger on the pitch, which might've influenced his opinion on the eternal 'GOAT' debate.
He saved some praise for Ronaldo as well, stating that the Manchester United forward is one of the best. He said that he does not want to draw comparisons between the two but if forced to pick, he'd pick the Argentina captain.
He said that he used to watch and learn from the 35-year-old growing up and singled him out as one of a kind. He said (via Comutricolor):
“No, I do not think so! There is no one else... Obviously there are more players, but for me it is [Messi]. I never compare him with Cristiano Ronaldo. Cristiano is one of the best, but my taste is for Messi. Not going into comparisons. It is my personal opinion."
He added:
“I admire him (Messi) a lot because he guides us, the little left-wingers. I've watched him since I was a kid.”
Both the legendary players are expected to be in action on Sunday, August 7. PSG and Manchester United will kick off their Ligue 1 and Premier League campaigns respectively.
The Red Devils will face Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford, while the Parisians will face Cleremont Foot at Stade Gabriel Montpied.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo set to compete for FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are showing no signs of slowing down and have continued to play key roles for their clubs and national teams.
The Manchester United forward finished as the club's top goalscorer across all competitions last season, scoring 24 goals in 38 matches.
Meanwhile, the PSG forward picked up 14 assists in his debut Ligue 1 season. He did come up short in the goalscoring department with just six goals.
The Argentine will be looking to return to double-digits in goals this season and help the Parisians lift the elusive Champions League title.
The Portuguese, meanwhile, has a point to prove at Manchester United after he expressed his desire to leave the club earlier this summer (via The Times).
The duo were often criticized for failing to live up to expectations with their national teams but have picked up continental trophies recently. Ronaldo won the EURO with Portugal in 2016 while Messi led Argentina to the Copa America triumph in 2021.
One glaring blight in their extraordinary resumes has been the lack of success at the FIFA World Cup. This year's edition in Qatar later this year will likely be their last shot at glory in the competition. Both of them will need to be in top form for the remainder of 2022.
