Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? When F1 legend Lewis Hamilton named his GOAT

Back in 2024, Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton picked his GOAT between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The duo have been on different sides of a never-ending debate, with pundits, fans, and athletes of all sports picking sides.

It is no surprise that this rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi has existed. For two decades, they became widely recognized as two of the greatest players in history. The Portuguese legend has racked up five Ballon d'Or awards, while his Argentine counterpart has clinched an unprecedented eight.

For Lewis Hamilton, though, Lionel Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo. He admitted this in an interview, saying (via SPORT Bible):

"Messi or Ronaldo? Messi! They're both amazing to be honest, but I'm a Messi fan in the end."

It is worth noting that Hamilton has not met Messi before. However, he spent some time with Ronaldo at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2019.

The F1 driver has been a football fan, as he revealed how he became an Arsenal fan when he was young:

"I knew all the kids supported someone different, one was Tottenham Hotspur, one was Manchester United. I remember switching between these teams when I was younger and getting home and my sister Sam punching me several times in the arm, basically beat me, saying 'You have to support Arsenal!'"

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both left Europe to continue their careers in Saudi Arabia and USA respectively. However, the debate around the GOAT has continued, despite the duo playing on different continents now.

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Cristiano Ronaldo weighs in on GOAT debate, places himself ahead of Lionel Messi as "most complete" footballer

Cristiano Ronaldo has weighed in on the GOAT debate, placing himself ahead of players like Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and Pele. The legendary Portuguese striker spoke in an interview with El Chiringuito de Jugones, where he spoke about the debate.

Ronaldo said (via SPORT Bible):

"I think I'm the most complete football player that has ever existed. People could like Messi, Maradona or Pele, and I respect it, but I'm the most complete. I'm the best player in football history. I haven't seen anyone better than me in football history and I'm saying truth from my heart."

Lionel Messi has yet to provide a comment in response to Cristiano Ronaldo's words. The legendary Argentine playmaker has enjoyed recent success with Inter Miami, where he won the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters Shield in 2024.

The Portuguese legend won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 with Inter Miami.