"You can't compare a Ferrari and a Porsche" - When Cristiano Ronaldo made incredible claim on GOAT debate with Lionel Messi 

Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo once said that he was tired of being compared to Lionel Messi, explaining that they were inherently different players for their respective clubs.

Ronaldo and Messi are arguably the two greatest players of all time. Both superstars have shared the Ballon d'Or 13 times, with Messi recently capturing his eighth award, and have contested the infamous GOAT debate for well over a decade now.

In May 2012, Ronaldo had one of the best seasons of his career, scoring 60 goals across all competitions to help Real Madrid win the La Liga title over Messi's Barcelona. Despite his feats, it was the Argentine ace who garnered all the adoration and attention.

The Portugal legend sat down with CNN and claimed he was a better player than Messi.

“Some people say I’m better, other people say it’s him, but at the end of the day, they’re going to decide who is the best player. At the moment … I think it is me," Ronaldo said.

He added that he was tired of the constant comparisons, likening himself and Messi to a Ferrari and a Porsche:

“Sometimes (the comparisons with Messi) makes me tired … for him too because they compare us together all the time. You cannot compare a Ferrari with a Porsche because it’s a different engine. You cannot compare them. He does the best things for Barcelona, I do the best things for Madrid."

He continued:

“I think we push each other sometimes in the competition, this is why the competition is so high. This is why Madrid and Barcelona are the best teams in the world because everyone pushes each other, not just me and Messi but other players.”

Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a great rivalry on the pitch against Messi until 2018 when he decided to leave Real Madrid to join Juventus. The 38-year-old had a stellar nine-year tenure for Los Blancos, scoring 450 goals in 438 appearances, helping them win 15 trophies, including four UEFA Champions League trophies.

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Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Exploring the career statistics of both icons

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated world football with ease for nearly two decades now. Let's take a look at their career statistics to see how well they match up against each other.

Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong in the Saudi Pro League, having scored 51 goals in 2023 already. He is also the highest goalscorer of all time, having scored 870 goals and provided 249 assists in 1202 appearances in total for club and country. He has also won 35 trophies to date.

On the other hand, Inter Miami ace Lionel Messi has netted 821 times and registered 361 assists in 1047 appearances across all competitions. He is also the most decorated footballer of all time, having won 44 trophies, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup for Argentina.