"The list goes on and on" - When former Real Madrid loanee explained why he picked Cristiano Ronaldo as GOAT over Lionel Messi

Former Real Madrid striker Emmanuel Adebayor picked Cristiano Ronaldo as the GOAT over Lionel Messi in a previous interview. He hailed the Portuguese forward's goalscoring records as well as his work ethic.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are widely regarded as the two greatest footballers of all time. The debate about who is better has continued for decades, with fans, pundits, and former and current players all sharing their thoughts.

Adebayor, who spent six months on loan at Real Madrid from Manchester City in 2011, spoke about Ronaldo's work ethic in an interview. He said (via talkSPORT):

“When I arrived at Real Madrid, I was told training is at 10:30am. I thought, okay, let me come at 8:30am so I’m first. I got there at 8:45am, the dressing room was dark… but I could hear some noise underneath.

“I asked one of the physios, ‘What is happening downstairs?’ He said Cristiano Ronaldo is downstairs swimming already.”

When asked if he picked Ronaldo over Lionel Messi as the GOAT, Adebayor said:

“Yes for me, obviously.

"The top scorer in the final of the Champions League, the top goalscorer in the world, top goal scorer in the semi-final of the Champions League, the top scorer in the quarter-final of the Champions League. You want me to mention them? It’s too much. The list goes on and on.”

Adebayor shared the pitch 18 times with Cristiano Ronaldo, combining for one goal.

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When Cristiano Ronaldo's former teammate slammed Lionel Messi and Barcelona after El Clasico

Back in 2011, Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid faced off against Lionel Messi's Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semi-final. The first leg at the Camp Nou ended in a goalless draw as the two rivals faced off at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg.

It was, however, a fierce affair. Pepe was sent off for Los Blancos while Jose Manuel Pinto was sent off for Barcelona on the bench. Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho was also sent off. Emmanuel Adebayor, meanwhile, came on for the hosts in the second half and got booked as well. Barca eventually won 2-0.

After the game, Adebayor laid into Lionel Messi and Co., saying (via talkSPORT):

"Maybe Pepe committed a foul but I don't think it was a red card. Whenever you play against Barca, whenever you touch them they are on the floor crying like a baby."

"I have played three games against Barcelona and each time we have had to play with 10 men. Everyone talks about Barcelona and their fair play but I think they are very far away from fair play.

"Whenever you make contact when going for a one-on-one or 50-50 ball they are on the floor crying, putting their hand up near their face. Their manager, fans and the players on the bench are always crying."

Lionel Messi and Barcelona went on to win the Champions League that season, beating Manchester United 3-1 in the final.