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Former England attacker Gary Lineker has snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo while naming the two greatest players of all time. The Portuguese is often paired alongside Lionel Messi in the GOAT debate, but Lineker has a different opinion on the debate.
The football pundit believes Messi and Diego Maradona are the two greatest footballers of his lifetime, with the former edging his senior compatriot following the World Cup win in Qatar last year.
He told BBC:
"In my real footballing lifetime, it's between Messi and Maradona. It's mad really, there's so many great players we've had... Zidane, Cruyff, the two Ronaldo's. There's a list. But then suddenly you've got these two that play a game that the rest of us are not familiar with. For me, Messi is now indisputable."
Explaining why he doesn't consider Ronaldo in the same space as the Argentine duo, Lineker added:
"There are people that possibly compare the likes of Cristiano in terms of goalscoring, but in terms of the joy that they give you when you watch them, there's nobody that compares with Lionel Messi."
The Englishman has often reiterated his stance that he sees Messi as the greatest footballer of all time.
"He does things that ordinary mortals can't do" - Gary Lineker on Lionel Messi
In August this year, Lineker expanded on his love for Messi and how he has enjoyed watching the Argentine play over the last two decades.
Even then, he stressed that the 2022 World Cup win ended all GOAT debates in favor of the Inter Miami forward.
"For me, [he is] the greatest player I've had the pleasure of watching. [Messi] has given me immense joy for two decades. And he just does things that ordinary mortals can't do," Lineker told GOAL.
"He's just a joy to watch. Just every single game I watch that he plays. Even on his quiet days, he'll do three or four things in one game that I don't think I would have done once in my whole career. He's kind of stopped all arguments, in a way, really," he added.
Messi recently won the eighth Ballon d'Or of his illustrious career, moving three clear of his closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the individual honor five times.
