"Better footballer and athlete", "Ran the show" - Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate rages on among fans in Qatar 

Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo has been a hot topic of debate for over a decade now as both players have been the very best in the game for almost 15 years.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar resumes today with two quarterfinal clashes following a two-day hiatus. Nevertheless, there's no stopping fans from keeping the ultimate football debate raging.

Apart from fans, it's a debate that has also drawn in players past and present, managers, sports pundits, celebrities, and even politicians. It continues to rage to this day even as Messi and Ronaldo are in the twilight of their careers.

On Thursday (8 December), fans gathered at the iconic Souq Wakif, a traditional marketplace in Qatar and engaged in some fervent "greatest of all time" debates across cafes and restaurants in the marketplace.

An English fan named David Barley hailed Ronaldo, telling Reuters:

"It's Ronaldo - I think Ronaldo's all-round game is superb. I think he's more versatile than Messi, who has a wonderful left foot, but Ronaldo is the better footballer and athlete."

Another England fan, Robbie Lyle, went with Messi, who he said 'ran the show' in Argentina's FIFA World Cup Round-of-16 win over Australia last Saturday. He said:

"It's got to be Messi now. I've been to all the games out here, and Messi, in the last game (against Australia), he ran the show."

Messi and Ronaldo have had unparalleled success on the field, lifting numerous trophies and registering unthinkable goals and assist numbers. Their accomplishments have garnered them millions of fans from around the world, with each player's fan base making a case for them to be the greatest in history.

Another fan, Badr Saleh Debel of Saudi Arabia, feels it's Messi all the way:

"Messi, Messi, absolutely Messi. It's not about the ball, the goals, the history. He's a good player; he scores also; he assists - what a player! He's the best player of all time."

USA fan Melo Barrows, though, feels Ronaldo is the better player overall.

"Today? It's probably Messi, but overall I prefer Ronaldo - I'm a Portugal fan; Sporting is my team, so Ronaldo."

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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing in their last FIFA World Cup?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, 35 and 37 respectively, are likely playing in their fifth and last FIFA World Cup.

Both players' teams are in the quarterfinals and could meet in the final. Messi's Argentina will take on the Netherlands in the last eight tonight (December 9), while Ronaldo's Portugal will take on Morocco tomorrow (December 10).

Should Argentina and Portugal make the final, it would make for an incredible fest, possibly the most enticing FIFA World Cup final ever, with billions of fans around the world likely to tune in to watch.