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Newly signed AS Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba once shared his viewpoint on the unending Greatest of All Time (GOAT) battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Pogba believes comparing the two football icons is immaterial and they have their unique purposes on the pitch.
In a discussion with popular Twitch streamer iShowSpeed in 2024, Pogba was asked who he preferred between the duo. The Frenchman said (via Inter Miami News):
“For me, there is no Ronaldo vs. Messi, let’s stop this ——-. Who do I prefer? If I’m making a team and need to score goals, I would take Cristiano, but only score goals. But if I need a playmaker who can score goals and make assists, I would take Messi every day.”
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Lionel Messi is a playmaker with a unique trademark of creativity, which he leverages to unlock defensive set-ups. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, is an incredible finisher whose ability to deliver in front of goal is exceptional.
The rivalry between the duo gained prominence when Ronaldo joined Los Blancos in 2009, Barcelona's arch-rivals.
From 2009 to 2018, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi competed for several trophies in LaLiga and beyond. The pair were also the leading contenders for most individual awards, proving their rivalry and longevity.
Ronaldo has scored 794 career club goals in 1054 outings in his illustrious football career. Meanwhile, La Pulga is a little behind the Al-Nassr star (760) with fewer games played (937) in his club career.
In terms of playmaking, Lionel Messi has delivered 363 club career assists, while CR7 has registered 242.
When Rio Ferdinand revealed why Lamine Yamal was ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand once claimed Barcelona's Lamine Yamal was ahead of La Pulga and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ferdinand asserted that given Yamal's achievement, display, and ability to define games at 17, he was ahead of how Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were at his age.
Speaking in a discussion with TNT Sports earlier this year, Ferdinand said (via GOAL):
“At this age, he's ahead of Cristiano, he's ahead of Messi. His stats alone - he's had 100 appearances at 17! These guys were nowhere near that and he's dominating games, he's defining games.”
Since his introduction as a first-team starter, Yamal has transformed the dynamics of Barcelona's attack. He has scored 25 goals and delivered 34 assists in 106 outings as a Barcelona first-team player.
