"Has an advantage over all the others" - Roberto Carlos explains why Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Lionel Messi

Legendary Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos has waded into the never-ending debate about who the better player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is. The Real Madrid icon decided to go with Ronaldo, who, like him, had a magnificent career at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Speaking to Fox Sports (via Sport Bible), Roberto Carlos said:

"These days, when you talk about football, you talk about Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo.

"Cristiano has worked to improve. When you talk about the Ballon d'Or or any other prize, it's not just any person who votes, it's people who know football, who follow the stats of the players and pick the best in the world.

"I watch him train every day and the way he works is exciting. He wants to improve every day."

He continued:

"That's the difference with Messi. Leo is a phenomenon, we never talk about Neymar... but that side of Cristiano, of training, professionalism, focus, motivation, success... Cristiano has an advantage over all the others."

The former Galactico might have irked a few members of Lionel Messi's fanbase with his words, but his choice isn't unexpected. After all, both Carlos and Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed illutrious, trophy-laden careers with Los Blancos, with both winning La Liga and the Champions League multiple times.

With both Messi and Ronaldo in the twilight of their careers, it won't be long before the 'better player' debate switches to the younger generation of stars.

---

Could Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi be at the end of their careers?

After a lengthy spell on the Ballon d'Or podium, the Portuguese goal machine didn't make it into the top three last season. His prolific goalscoring has slowed down recently, with the Manchester United star netting 24 goals in last season; great numbers, but still lower than his best. Cristiano Ronaldo was hitting over 50 goals per season from 2010 to 2016.

For Lionel Messi, the goals have dried up dramatically since his move to Paris Saint-Germain, where the star seems to have become the team's playmaker instead. The last time the Argentine wizard hit the 50-goal mark was back in the 2018-19 season with Barcelona. His first season in France saw him manage just 11 goals across competitions, his lowest in a single season since 2006.

Football is certainly more than just goals, but the stunning drop in the duo's goalscoring is possibly due to their ages catching up with them. With Cristiano Ronaldo now 37 years old and Lionel Messi 35, it is inevitable that they will not have the same impact they had in their primes.