“What he could do with a football was frightening” - Kieran Trippier snubs Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as he picks ex-teammate as GOAT

Newcastle United right-back Kieran Trippier has snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, labeling former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Mousa Dembele as the GOAT instead.

The coveted title of the greatest of all time has been fiercely contested for well over a decade by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Both icons have dominated world football, winning 13 Ballons d'Or between themselves. Other legends like the late Pele and Diego Maradona also have valid claims for the title.

However, Trippier skipped all four of the obvious options, naming Dembele instead. He told Sky Sports (via Football Transfers):

"I’m going to put down [Mousa] Dembele. Of course you could say Messi or Ronaldo, but this guy, when I played with him at Tottenham was the GOAT."

He added:

“Honestly, in training, in games, what he could do with a football was frightening. Everytime people say who’s the best player you’ve played with, he’s one of them for sure."

Mousa Dembele made a name for himself as a central midfielder for AZ Alkmaar and Fulham before joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2012. He enjoyed a successful six-and-a-half-year tenure at the club, where he was frequently hailed as the best player in the squad by his teammates (via This is Futbol).

Dembele netted 10 goals and provided 12 assists in 249 appearances across all competitions for Mauricio Pochettino's side before joining Guangzhou City in 2019. He retired three seasons later at the age of 34.

The 36-year-old also notably earned 82 caps for the Belgium national team, scoring five goals. His aided his nation in finishing third in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

---

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi included in Top 10 list of all-time greatest sport superstars

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were both included in Pubity Sports' fan-voted Top 10 greatest athletes of all time, with the Argentine edging the Portuguese to the number one spot with 22.8% of the votes.

Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were deservedly rewarded with the top two positions on the list. The rest of the Top 10 includes Mohammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Virat Kohli, Usain Bolt, Mike Tyson, Lebron James, Serena Williams, and Michael Phelps (via SPORTbible).

Lionel Messi is viewed by many to be the undisputed after recently winning his eighth Ballon d'Or. The 36-year-old had a phenomenal 2022-23 season, winning trophies for both Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, as well as leading Argentina to 2022 FIFA World Cup glory, arguably as the tournament's best player.

On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong for Al-Nassr at the age of 38. The Portugal icon has started the season with a bang, netting 15 goals and providing nine assists in 16 appearances across all competitions.