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Former Nigeria captain Jay Jay Okocha has picked between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as his GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Ronaldo and Messi are widely regarded as two of the greatest footballers to have ever graced the pitch.
The two had established an unparalleled duopoly over the Ballon d'Or - football's most coveted individual award - for an entire decade (2008-2017). Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Messi and Ronaldo are still going strong and looking to add more silverware to their already illustrious cabinets.
In an interview with Pulse Fun Facts, Jay Jay Okocha picked Messi as his 'Greatest of All Time' when asked to choose between the two. The Nigerian said (via Daily Post):
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“They are both GOATs but my personal GOAT is Messi because he looks more natural to me.”
Both Messi and Ronaldo are enjoying football outside Europe in the final few years of their illustrious careers. While Lionel Messi is filling stadiums in the United States with Inter Miami, Cristiano Ronaldo is breaking records in the Middle East with Al-Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi left out of the Ballon d'Or shortlist for the first time since 2003
Fans were in disbelief when France Football released the Ballon d'Or 2024 shortlist on September 4 without Messi and Ronaldo on the list. The two have won the award 13 times between them (eight for Lionel Messi and five for Cristiano Ronaldo) and are the two most decorated Ballon d'Or winners in history.
Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a stellar 2023-24 season, scoring 44 times and recording 13 assists in 45 games for the Knights of Najd. However, the Portuguese marksman didn't win any competitive silverware for club or country.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi had an injury-prone season but helped Argentina win the Copa America 2024 - their third consecutive major international trophy. The Argentine was also instrumental in Inter Miami's Leagues Cup 2023 victory - the club's first-ever senior trophy.
It is presumed that the two superstars were not picked because they were playing football outside Europe. Meanwhile, Manchester City's Rodri, Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, and Real Madrid superstars Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham are touted as some of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or on October 28 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.
It was Messi who managed to take home the award in 2023 after leading La Albiceleste to World Cup glory in 2022. The Argentine scored seven goals and assisted thrice in seven matches and won the Golden Ball, which is given to the best player in the tournament.
