'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQgQAAEEAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAIDBAUGAAEREjEUAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADBREAAgEFAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIEAAMREiEFMf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AzvQomvPZ+olJRv7UVpIGwpEsYeNIutlotEHPvrJVkrtKj7FLtAhFvLd+5SHj9cdcBTY/O4xkKdKkWvVtIj6q0BHIAGNtj2lnIqBwuQFvso6fgAr/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas has picked Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi in the GOAT debate. Casillas was teammates with Ronaldo during the duo's time together in the Spanish capital.
Messi, on the other hand, used to be a direct rival of Los Blancos as the Argentine used to represent Barcelona for a long time. He is considered the best player to ever represent the Blaugrana.
Hence, Casillas' pick might come as an unsurprising one. When asked to choose between the two best players of the modern era, Casillas provided a short and crisp answer, saying: (as seen on Republic World)
"Cristiano."
Ronaldo and Casillas represented Real Madrid 228 times during their time in the Spanish capital.
Many believe that Messi settled the GOAT debate after guiding Argentina to glory during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. While Ronaldo has never won the trophy, the Portuguese's legacy is immense. Hence, it's hard to name one between him and Messi as the definitely better player than the other.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi lit up world football during their time in La Liga
When Cristiano Ronaldo joined Los Blancos back in 2009, Lionel Messi's Barcelona used to be the dominant force in Spanish football.
Real Madrid relied heavily on the Portuguese superstar to regain their status as the best team in the country. While the path to doing so was a steep one, consisting of defeats and disappointments, Los Blancos finally managed to do so.
When Ronaldo scored the winner against Barcelona at Camp Nou during the 2011-12 season to clinch the La Liga title from the clutches of Pep Guardiola's team, Real Madrid were well and truly back on the scene.
Fans witnessed back-and-forth battles between the two superstars for almost a decade. The golden age of Spanish football came to an end in 2018 when Ronaldo left the Spanish capital to join Juventus after completing the three-peat of the UEFA Champions League.
Lionel Messi also left Barcelona in 2021 after the Blaugrana were unable to renew his contract. He currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
