“He was much better than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo” - Oliver Kahn picks former rival as greatest footballer of all time

Legendary German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has chosen Ronaldo Nazario as the best player of all time ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Kahn opined that the iconic Brazilian was a much better player than the Argentine and Portuguese superstars.

The debate about the greatest football player of all time will continue to divide fans. Many fans, current and former players, and pundits mention either Messi or Ronaldo when confronted with this never-ending discussion.

However, a few times, legendary players like Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, and others get the nod of some football faithful. For Kahn, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player.

When asked recently to pick his greatest footballer of all time, the former Bayern Munich shot-stopper named Brazil’s Ronaldo, saying (via TNT Sports):

“For me, he was much better than Messi and Cristiano,"

However, Kahn does not consider Ronaldo to be the toughest striker he faced. He named former Italy forward Filippo Inzaghi as the player who irritated him the most, saying:

“The one who irritated me the most was Inzaghi. He wasn't super champion, but he always marked me.”

Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest strikers and won two Ballons d’Or. Kahn, meanwhile, has a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers. He won the Golden Ball in the 2002 World Cup, becoming the only goalkeeper in history to achieve the feat. He also finished third place in the Ballon d’Or in 2001 and 2002.

Kahn and Ronaldo faced each other three times during their illustrious careers, winning once and drawing twice. The most notable was the 2002 World Cup final, where the Brazilian scored twice against the German custodian to propel Brazil to glory.

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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo nominated for the Globe Soccer Award

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both been nominated for the 2024 Globe Soccer award. The two superstars are among the 30 players named in the Best Men’s Player category of the annual award.

The latest nomination comes after the two superstars were notably omitted from the 30-man shortlist for the 2024 Ballon d’Or for the first time since 2003. Despite being in the twilight of their careers, the iconic duo continues to make a significant impact on the pitch.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the record winner of the Globe Soccer award with six wins. Lionel Messi, meanwhile has won the honor just once.