Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? When Joao Felix weighed in on the GOAT debate

Barcelona forward Joao Felix had his say on the eternal debate on who is greater, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo back in April. The 24-year-old has links to both players, representing Portugal alongside Ronaldo while playing for the Blaugrana - a team where Messi casts a large shadow.

The iconic duo are two of the greatest players of all time, with 13 Ballon d’Or titles, and 1732 goals between them. Debates over who is the better player are likely to continue for years to come.

In an interview with journalist Gerard Romero, Felix opted to take a diplomatic route when asked to pick between the two players, saying:

"We should not compare Messi and Cristiano. We should enjoy them together. Preferring one over the other is very difficult. They both did very wonderful things that will not be repeated.”

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to play football professionally for Inter Miami in the MLS and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro-League late into their at 37 and 39, respectively.

La Pulga is through to the semi-final of Copa America this summer with Argentina. Ronaldo was recently knocked out of Euro 2024 after Joao Felix was the only player to miss his spot kick in a penalty shootout against France in the quarter-finals.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi: A look at their stats

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the greatest and most prolific players to take to the pitch in the modern era. The duo enjoyed a rivalry that pushed them to unimaginable heights in the game and inspired generations of fans and future players.

Ronaldo played his best football for Real Madrid where he scored 450 goals and provided 131 assists in 438 games for the legendary Spanish club. His exploits saw him win four Ballon d’Or awards and four UEFA Champions League crowns with Los Blancos as a result.

Messi, on the other hand, is almost deified at the Madrid-based club’s arch-rivals, Barcelona. He is the Catalan club's highest-ever goalscorer and assists provider with 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 appearances. He won six Ballon d’Or awards and claimed the UEFA Champions League four times there for his efforts.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are also prolific for their nations, bagging 130 goals and 47 assists and 108 goals and 58 assists for Portugal and Argentina, respectively.

The duo’s rivalry is unlikely to be replicated soon and fans will look back fondly on their time in the game when they hang up their boots.