"He's the f***ing greatest" - Why Dimitar Berbatov picked Lionel Messi as his GOAT over Cristiano Ronaldo

The heated debate about the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) in football remains a hotly contested topic often centered around Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

During a recent interview with ESPN FC, former Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov weighed in on this enduring debate.

Recalling his first season with the Red Devils, Berbatov lamented the Champions League final defeat to Barcelona. Despite a strong start from Manchester United in the first 10 minutes, Barcelona ultimately took control and won the match.

Berbatov attributed the victory largely to Lionel Messi's decisive performance, explaining to ESPN FC:

"He's the f***ing greatest. Ronaldo is brilliant, Messi more my kind of player. He sees the game so clearly. He can score, create, he's the complete player, the best ever probably."

Berbatov went on to acknowledge the legendary status of older football icons like Pele, Maradona, Puskas, and Di Stefano. However, he firmly placed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the pinnacle of his generation's football heroes.

In the end, the former striker couldn't help but choose Messi as his personal GOAT, stating:

"They're pretty much even, but something with Messi makes me shout 'Messi! Messi!' when I watch Barcelona on television."

The Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate is the modern successor to the longstanding Maradona or Pele argument. As the rivalry persists, it continues to fuel passionate discussions about the beautiful game, ensuring the legacies of these incredible athletes will live on for many more years.

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Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe could follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

The legendary rivalry between football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may soon have a worthy successor in the form of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, according to Kolo Toure.

Toure spoke to Stats Perform, sharing his thoughts on the burgeoning rivalry (via Punch Newspaper):

"Absolutely, absolutely. They are both incredibly great players. Young, hungry players with great qualities, playing for top clubs. You can see the rivalry coming, you can feel it because they are both goalscorers."

While acknowledging the differing strengths of the two players, Toure emphasized their shared prowess as scorers:

"Obviously they have different qualities. There is one who is a really good scorer and one who – yes, he can score goals, but he can also provide, he can dribble."

As two of the most exciting young talents in the game, Haaland and Mbappe have been making waves in the world of football, and Toure believes they have the potential to ignite a rivalry reminiscent of the Messi-Ronaldo era.