"It’s as simple as that" - When Gary Lineker gave the best answer to Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate

Former England striker-turned-pundit Gary Lineker shared his opinion on who his pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo was, in 2019. Lineker picked the then-Barcelona star, citing Messi's mercurial ability to carry the ball as the reason.

Lineker spent time with the Blaugrana, playing 138 games and scoring 51 times between 1986 and 1989. He was one of the few English players to play outside the British Isles at the time.

Speaking to talkSPORT at the time about Lionel Messi, Lineker said:

“Is just phenomenal. He’s 31 now (Messi is now 35) and he’s still going strong. He plays the game in a way the rest of us are not familiar with.

"I watch a lot of football, and people pine on this whole Messi vs Ronaldo debate; there’s no comparison for me.”

Gary Lineker added:

“Messi is on a different level to everybody else. It's as simple as that. People say to me ‘What about Ronaldo’s goalscoring record and so forth?' But I say to them: 'Have you seen Messi pass a football? Have you seen him dribble towards goal?'”

The debate about the greater player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continues and will continue to rage among fans for years to come. The duo has dominated the game for nearly two decades, winning 13 Ballon d'Or titles between them, with Messi accounting for eight.

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Gary Lineker reveals Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to him picking Lionel Messi as the greatest player ever

BBC pundit Gary Lineker has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo refused to speak to him after he said that Lionel Messi was the better player between the legendary duo. The pair have carried on a fabulous rivalry for nearly two decades and are two of the best players in living memory to play the sport.

Ronaldo is one of the most prolific scorers in history, bagging 759 goals and 238 assists in 1013 club games with a further 130 goals and 47 assists in 210 games for his country. Messi is not too far behind, with 735 goals and 355 assists in 904 club games and 108 goals and 58 assists for his country in 184 games.

Speaking to fellow England veterans Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand during the BBC's FIFA World Cup 2022 coverage in Qatar, Gary Lineker revealed that Ronaldo refused to speak to him:

“I can tell you from my own experience that if you harbor the opinion that Lionel Messi is the better footballer, then he doesn’t want to speak to you.

"That’s okay. I understand that even though I have adored watching his career. He’s an incredible footballer but a bit touchy on that particular subject."

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are in their late 30s but remain key players for Inter Miami in the MLS and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro-League respectively.