Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? Atalanta star Ademola Lookman makes choice in heated ‘GOAT’ debate

Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has made his choice in the heated GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Over the years, fans, pundits, and players have often taken their picks between the two legendary footballers, who took the world by storm.

Ronaldo and Messi have led the rankings as two of the best players in the sport for the last two decades. However, Ademola Lookman was asked to pick between the two during an interview with SportyTV, and he admitted (via @totalcristiano on X):

“The greatest player of all time? Cristiano Ronaldo, that’s my GOAT.”

Ronaldo now plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, after leaving Europe in January 2023. He played for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus across his career on the continent.

Lionel Messi, on the other hand, now plays for Inter Miami in the USA. He played for Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona - where he spent two decades, before leaving Europe in the summer of 2023.

---

When Cristiano Ronaldo declared an end to his rivalry with Lionel Messi

Shortly after both players ended their careers in Europe, Cristiano Ronaldo declared an end to his rivalry with Lionel Messi. In September 2023, the legendary Portuguese striker spoke about playing against his Argentine counterpart for two decades (via ESPN):

"I don't see things like that, the rivalry is gone. It was good, spectators liked it. Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don't have to hate Messi and vice versa. We've done well, we have changed the history of football. We are respected all over the world, that's the most important thing.

"He's followed his path and I have followed mine, regardless of playing outside of Europe. From what I've seen, he's been doing well and so have I. The legacy lives on, but I don't see the rivalry like that.

"We shared the stage many times, it was 15 years. I'm not saying we're friends, I've never had dinner with him, but we're professional colleagues and we respect each other."

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored over 900 goals and is currently headed for the 1000-career-goal mark. He is the player with the most career goals in football history, closely followed by Lionel Messi who has scored 850 goals.

Ronaldo has also won five Ballon d'Or awards, while Messi has won an unprecedented eight. While the Portuguese has won the Arab Club Champions Cup with Al-Nassr in 2023, Messi has won the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters' Shield in 2024 with Inter Miami.