"I don't see one of them as better" - When Toni Kroos explained why Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are difficult to compare
Retiring Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos once explained why his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo is better than his arch-rival Lionel Messi. Both Ronaldo and Messi are widely regarded as two of the best players in history.
Kroos, 34, is one of the best midfielders of his generation and has been a key first-team regular for Los Blancos since his arrival from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2013.
The German - who is retiring after UEFA Euro 2024 - played four seasons with Ronaldo and locked horns with Messi till 20221 before the Argentinian moved to PSG.
In an interview with Marca in 2022 (via All Football), Kroos said that both Ronaldo and Messi deserve their places among the pantheons of greats in the game:
"There is no doubt that Cristiano is one of the best in history. The same happens with Leo Messi. But I don't see one (of them) as better. Because it is difficult to compare who does what on the field and how the game has changed over the decades."
About Ronaldo, he added:
"We were not only teammates but also neighbours in the dressing room and neighbours in private. He lived right next to me. Seeing what a perfectionist he is was impressive.
"From my playing days, it's Cristiano Ronaldo (best player of all time). Of course, I'm biased because he made a decisive contribution to us winning a lot of titles. It was exciting and impressive to play alongside Ronaldo."
Kross is set to play the final two games of his glittering club career culminating with the UEFA Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund on June 1 at the Wembley.
How Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have fared this season
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the best players to have graced the beautiful game. Having debuted nearly two decades ago, both are still going strong, despite being on the wrong side of 30.
Ronaldo, 39, is in the midst of a superb first full season with Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr, contributing 42 goals and 13 assists in 42 games across competitions.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Messi is also off to a fine start to his first full season with MLS side Inter Miami. Despite missing a few games due to injury, he has scored 12 goals and also provided 11 assists in 13 games across competitions.