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Former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain has chipped in on the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate.
Having played with both players, Higuain is one of the few footballers who has witnessed the two GOATs up and close for extensive periods. He featured alongside Messi for Argentina and Ronaldo for Real Madrid and Juventus.
Speaking to TYC Sports (reported via Infobae), Higuain said on the matter:
“If I wasn't the first, I was the second who played the most with both of them. They are two big and different players who had a parallel fight that I don't think will happen again in the history of football.”
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When asked to pick who was the best, he said:
“In bread and cheese, I choose Leo. Off the pitch, Cristiano is a calm and pleasant person. (At Juventus) I found him mature with family and children and we made a good relationship, he talked to me a lot, he leaned on me a lot.”
Messi never won an international trophy for Argentina whilst he played with Higuain. However, last summer, the Paris Saint-Germain forward went on to win the 2021 Copa America to lift his first major title with La Albiceleste.
Congratulating the Argentine captain on the same, Higuain said:
“It makes me very happy that Messi has won (the Copa América) because I know everything he has done and what he does for the National Team.”
Are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo entering the twilight stages of their careers?
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have ruled the sport over the course of the last decade. Their personal rivalry has seen them win multiple individual accolades while pushing their respective teams to the top.
However, both players are now in their 30s with Ronaldo in fact closer to 40. Their game has shown signs of vulnerability at times, when compared to how it was at the peak of their powers.
However, they still have what it takes to continue performing on the biggest stage. Ronaldo finished with 24 goals in 38 games after joining a sub-par Manchester United team last season. Messi, meanwhile, recently lifted the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions with Argentina with a stellar performance against Italy.
The two once-in-a-lifetime players may be getting older but are definitely not ready to hang up their boots just yet. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will lead their respective nations at this year's FIFA World Cup as well.
