Indian football icon Bhaichung Bhutia highlights ‘edge’ Lionel Messi holds over Cristiano Ronaldo in GOAT debate

Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia has provided his take on why Lionel Messi holds the edge over Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT debate. Both players are widely regarded as two of the best to have graced the beautiful game.

Despite being on the wrong side of 30, both have continued to go strong, with little signs of stopping anytime soon, having each scored over 800 goals for club and country.

Needless to say, both Messi and Ronaldo have scored goals and won trophies galore in club football - multiple league and UEFA Champions League titles - to name a few. But Bhutia reckons Messi's greater collection of international trophies is worth their weight in gold, telling ANI (via The News Mill):

“I think both are the greatest players. It’s very unfair to say this guy is better or this guy is greatest. I think both have achieved so much. Yes, Messi has gone on to win the World Cup.

"Cristiano did not win but he has proven his quality all across the world with different clubs, different leagues across the world. So I think it’s very unfair to really say individually who is the best."

Refusing to pick one over the other, Bhutia said that both are great in their own right due to their stellar achievements but explained why Messi might have the advantage in the GOAT debate if he wins the 2024 Copa America title:

“Both are the greatest. I think Messi … if he can go on to win Copa America because he’s won tournaments for the country.

"So that way, I think in terms of trophies, he might have the edge against Cristiano in terms of the value of the trophies. World Cup and Copa America is much more valuable than many more club football trophies."

While Ronaldo's Portugal crashed out of Euro 2024 with a quarter-final defeat to France on penalties following a goalless 120 minutes, Messi's Argentina take on Colombia in the Copa America final on Sunday (July 14) in Miami.

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A look at Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's numbers in international football

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi

Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have impressive numbers in international football. While Ronaldo started his senior international career in 2003 with Portugal, Messi did so with Argentina two years later.

Over the years, both players have amassed over 100 goals - the only two players - other than Iran's Ali Daei - to do in men's international football. Ronaldo holds the records for most appearances (212) and goals (130), while Messi has 109 goals, going past Daei (108) by scoring in the 2-0 Copa semi-final win over Canada.

It's pertinent to note that Cristiano Ronaldo drew a blank at his last major tournament - going scoreless in five games - marking the first time he did so at 11 major tournaments. Lionel Messi, though, got off the mark at 2024 Copa America in the semi-final.