"It was always different" - When Barcelona legend Gerard Pique commented on Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate 

Just barely less than three months back, Gerard Pique made his pick in the never-ending Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. The Spanish defender reiterated that Ronaldo was 'the best of humans' and that his archrival Messi is extraterrestrial.

Pique, who had the privilege of sharing the locker room with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, initially said in an interview with BT Sport in 2016 in the aftermath of an El Clasico that the duo are the best players in the history of the sport. But he further claimed that Messi is in a league of his own.

In another interview with Corriere dello Sport in November 2024, Pique talked about his former side Barcelona, and, in the process, weighed in on the eternal GOAT debate.

“It was always different. Cristiano was the best of humans, Leo does not belong to this planet. I saw him train every day doing incredible things, there will be no other with his speed of thought . He arrived at thirteen and played the same way both in the youth team and with the first team.”

Gerard Pique played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United at the start of his senior career from 2004 to 2008. They shared the pitch 15 times across competitions and won four trophies together at Old Trafford.

However, he spent a large chunk of his professional career at Barcelona alongside Lionel Messi. between 2008 and 2021. He shared the pitch with the Argentine icon 506 times, and they had a joint goal participation of 17. They also won a plethora of trophies, which include La LaLiga and the Champions League.

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''He said, ‘Messi'' – When Piers Morgan claimed Cristiano Ronaldo told him Lionel Messi is the greatest player he has ever seen live

English broadcaster Piers Morgan once claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo told him Lionel Messi is the best player he has ever seen live because he can’t watch himself. Apart from supporting Arsenal, Morgan is known to be a huge Ronaldo fan.

Speaking to talkSPORT a few days after Argentina eliminated Croatia in the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Piers Morgan said:

“I had a very interesting conversation with Cristiano, we had dinner after I first interviewed him three years ago, it was a really great conversation and I really like him as a person.''

“He was incredibly respectful about Messi and I said to him, ‘Who’s the best player you’ve ever seen?’ “He said, ‘Messi, but you’re asking the wrong question, you’re not asking me who is the best player…’, because, of course, he has never seen himself play live.''

“So, that made me laugh. But then he talked about the pair of them and the difference between them and a lot of the other greats, like R9 Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, George Best, Paul Gascoigne, he said the difference is the longevity he and Messi have had.''

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have continued to strut their stuff at their respective clubs despite being in the twilight years of their careers.