"One has 8 Ballon d'Or, the other 5" - Ex-Real Madrid star shuts down Cristiano Ronaldo's GOAT claim, explains why Lionel Messi is the best

Former Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria has rebuffed Cristiano Ronaldo's recent claim of being the GOAT, explaining why Lionel Messi is the best in history. He hailed his compatriot for winning more Ballon d'Or awards as well as having more success on the international stage for Argentina.

The GOAT debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has raged on for well over a decade. Both icons have established themselves as the best of the current generation with Messi having eight Ballon d'Or trophies, the most in football history after last being crowned in 2023. Meanwhile, Ronaldo has won five with his last award coming in 2017.

Di Maria has plied his trade with both legends, playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2014. During a recent interview, he was asked about Ronaldo recently proclaiming himself to be the best in history, to which he replied (via Infobae):

"I'm not surprised, I was with him for four years. It was always like that. He always made those statements, he always tried to be the best, but well, he was born in a generation, just at a bad time, because another one was born who was touched by the magic wand. The reality is shown in numbers. One has eight Ballon d'Ors, the other five."

He added:

"There is a very big difference. Being a world champion is another very big difference, having two Copa Americas. There are many differences, many. And then you see him in the games, you see it in every minute of every game, that one plays as if he were in the backyard. He hits the same goal as always and keeps doing it. And he's been doing it for 18, 20 years."

"How long has he been doing the same thing? And everyone says, “But you already know what he’s going to do,” well, go mark him and he’ll do it anyway and he’ll still be 40 years old and still do tiki taka, tiki taka. That’s how it is. But, well, Cris is like that too. He always made statements that way. It was always the same. For me, Leo is the best in the world and the best in history, without a doubt."

Di Maria also played alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina, notably winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, an accolade that Ronaldo has been unable to achieve. The pair also won the 2024 Copa America, leading to Di Maria retiring soon after.

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Exploring what Cristiano Ronaldo said which resulted in Angel Di Maria making Lionel Messi Ballon d'Or claim

Benfica star Angel Di Maria recently claimed Lionel Messi was the GOAT over Cristiano Ronaldo due to his superior Ballon d'Or haul. Let's dive into what Ronaldo stated to cause this response.

The 40-year-old recently sat down with his friend Edu Aguirre on the Spanish television program El Chiringuito. During a segment of the interview, Cristiano Ronaldo proclaimed himself to be the most complete in history, over the likes of Lionel Messi and Pele. He said (via FOX Sports):

"I'm talking about numbers. I think I'm the most complete player to have existed. In my opinion, I think it's me. I do everything well in football: with my head, free kicks, left foot. I'm fast, I'm strong. One thing is taste — if you like Messi, Pelé, Maradona, I understand that and I respect that — but saying Ronaldo isn't complete ... I'm the most complete. I haven't seen anybody better than me, and I say it from the heart."

To his credit, despite not having the most Ballon d'Or trophies, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the highest goalscorer in men's football history. He has scored 924 goals in 1262 career appearances across all competitions, excluding club friendlies, which is higher than Lionel Messi's 850 goals from 1083 appearances.