“He changed the face of sport” – Michael Owen snubs Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo while naming greatest ever sportsperson

Former Liverpool and Manchester United striker Michael Owen has named Tiger Woods the greatest ever sportsperson ahead of football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Both Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo and Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi are no stranger to the debate surrounding the best in sporting history and following the retirement of NFL superstar Tom Brady, the argument has emerged again.

Owen had an interesting take, telling his Twitter followers:

“I see a debate going round social media today and it’s one I had in the pub last night; who is the greatest sportsman/sportswoman of all time?”

Owen narrowed down his picks to a top six of golfing legend Tiger Woods, tennis's Roger Federer, former boxing champion Muhammad Ali and both Ronaldo and Messi before giving his final verdict.

He continued:

“For me, it’s Tiger Woods. When he teed it up in his pomp, there was nobody close to him. He changed the face of the sport,”

Owen's decision to reject Messi and Ronaldo as sporting best ever will have many in the footballing world coming to the defense of the duo, particularly after the personal problems that Woods has encountered outside the sport of golf.

Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continue to consistently challenge for personal achievements and records year in and year out.

Messi was crowned Ballon d'Or winner of 2021 whilst Ronaldo recorded the most number of international goals scored in history.

Alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are football's top six?

The debate and Owen's response opens an interesting question with regard to footballing's greats and who sits atop the sport.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo quite clearly find themselves amongst the top six but who could join them?

Brazil legend Pelé is synonymous with the debate of football's greatest ever player.

The former Santos forward has recorded 618 goals in 638 appearances for the Brazilian side and is a pillar of the attacking style on the South American continent.

The late Diego Maradona is another name surely deserving of a place among football's elite. The Argentine striker was a polarizing figure during his playing days and captivated for the likes of Barcelona and Napoli.

Dutchman Johan Cruyff, Manchester United legend George Best and former Real Madrid manager and player Zinedine Zidane will also be names that many believe deserve recognition.

And as we turn to a new generation, already footballing fans are seeing talent come to the fore with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Erling-Braut Haaland and Pedri all showing the sport having a bright future post Ronaldo and Messi.