"It would be hypocritical" - When Real Madrid legend Marcelo gave perfect reply when asked to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Back in 2020, Real Madrid legend Marcelo gave the perfect reply when he was asked to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The two legendary forwards have been at the forefront of a two-decade long debate about the best player of all time, with pundits, fans, and players choosing sides.

However, Marcelo decided not to choose sides, instead celebrating the iconic duo. He notably played alongside Ronaldo for a decade at Real Madrid, often facing Messi at Barcelona. This did not push him to side with the Portuguese legend, though, as he told Fabio Cannavaro (via Bolavip):

“You can’t say who’s better. I played ten years with Cristiano, and the motivation he gives you on the field is unique—how he lifts you up. Messi stands still, takes the ball, and out of nowhere, he creates something—a goal. When people ask who’s better, it’s just to ‘bother’ us players. We can say who we like more, but not who’s better.”

He continued, speaking about how difficult it was for him to face Lionel Messi:

“When teams play against Real Madrid, it’s like it’s the last game of their lives. Since I attack a lot, they come down my side. I never played against Cristiano, but Messi is Messi. It would be hypocritical to say there’s anyone harder to mark."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have since left Europe. The Portuguese legend now plays with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, while his Argentine counterpart is playing with Inter Miami.

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Lionel Messi's Argentina teammate responds to Cristiano Ronaldo's claim about being the GOAT

Lionel Messi's Argentina teammate Angel Di Maria has responded to Cristiano Ronaldo's weighted claims about being the best player in history. The legendary Portuguese striker had referred to himself as the most complete player, arguing that the "numbers" were on his side.

However, Di Maria, who has played alongside Messi (with Argentina) and Ronaldo (at Real Madrid) is in disagreement. Speaking with InfoBae, the Benfica winger said (via GOAL):

"I'm not surprised, I was with him [Ronaldo] for four years. It was always like that. He always made those statements, he always tried to be the best, but well, he was born in a generation, just at a bad time, because another one was born who was touched by the magic wand [Messi].

"The reality is shown in numbers. One has eight Ballons d'Or, the other five. There is a very big difference. Being a world champion is another very big difference, having two Copa Americas..."

Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the only player in history to have crossed 900 career goals. However, Lionel Messi remains close behind with over 850 career goals.