Son Heung-min ranks Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and others as he chooses 5 footballers he enjoyed watching while growing up

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min recently ranked Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo among his top five favorite footballers while growing up. The two legends of the game have often been pitted against each other during their illustrious careers.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are unarguably considered two of the greatest legends of the game. Despite being in the twilight of their careers, they remain at the top of their game at Inter Miami and Al-Nassr respectively. The duo have won a record 13 Ballons d'Or together. Their rivalry reached its peak between 2009 and 2018 when Ronaldo played for Real Madrid and Messi was at Barcelona.

Over the years fans, pundits, and legends of football have been asked to choose between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In an interview with GOAL's FanZone, Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min was asked to name his five favorite footballers while growing up. The South Korea international made his preference clear by ranking Ronaldo over Messi. He said (via Bolavip):

"Five, I will say Ji-Sung Park, national hero. Number four, Zinedine Zidane. Number three, Ronaldinho. Number two… Lionel Messi."

The interviewer then asked Son to name his favorite footballer. The Spurs star did not hesitate to name Ronaldo and concluded:

"Ah, Cristiano Ronaldo."

Much like his idol, Son Heung-min has been one of the best players in the Premier League since joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2015. In 445 appearances across competitions, the 32-year-old has contributed 172 goals and 94 assists. However, Heung-min has yet to win silverware with his side.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's numbers this season explored

L to R: Ronaldo and Messi - Source: Getty

In the 2024-25 season, Cristiano Ronaldo has recorded 25 goals and four assists in 30 appearances across competitions for Al-Nassr. The Knights of Najd are currently fourth in the Saudi Pro League table with 47 points from 23 games. The Portuguese legend also leads the goalscoring charts in the Saudi Pro League this season with 17 goals to his name. Despite his stellar numbers with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has yet to win a trophy with the side since his arrival in January 2023.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi's new season with Inter Miami in the MLS began recently. The Argentine has contributed two goals and two assists in three appearances across competitions for the Herons so far. Messi was not included in the squad for Inter Miami's last two games — a 4-1 win over Houston Dynamo in the MLS and a 2-0 win against Cavalier FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16. He is reportedly on rest to avoid muscle overload issues.

Since his arrival, Lionel Messi has led Inter Miami to their first two trophies in their brief history — the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters' Shield. The Argentine legend will look to lead the Herons to the MLS Cup this year.