"I think I already sit where Messi and Cristiano are" - When Antoine Griezmann compared himself with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
In 2018, France forward Antoine Griezmann compared himself with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. His comments have resurfaced ahead of Les Bleus' clash with Portugal in the EURO 2024 quarter-finals at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on Friday (July 5).
The forward was part of the team that won the FIFA World Cup in 2018, where France beat Croatia 4-2 in the final. That same year, Ronaldo had won the UEFA Champions League for the fifth time, scoring an impressive 44 goals across competitions for Real Madrid.
Griezmann got to the podium of the Ballon d'Or that year, thanks in part to France's World Cup win and his UEFA Europa League win with Atletico Madrid. He told AS at the time (via Mirror):
"I think the Ballon d'Or has more prestige and history. There's three months left to give everything. It is clear that I am a different player than Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar or (Kylian) Mbappe. I'm at the top, but I can improve."
He went on to reveal that he was at the level of the two legendary players:
"I seek to be as complete as possible. I'm not going to score 50 goals, but I'm looking to help offensively and work for the team. I think I already sit where Messi and Cristiano are.
"And I know other players are going to come for sure. I want to improve, I want to win and I want to continue like this, playing in this way."
It's worth noting that Antoine Griezmann has not reached those heights in the Ballon d'Or since then. However, he has remained a force for France, helping them reach the World Cup final in 2022, where they lost to Messi's Argentina on penalties after a pulsating 3-3 draw following 120 minutes.
Neymar responds to Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate
Neymar had to chose the better player between other players, including two of the greatest ever. He chose his former teammate Kylian Mbappe when asked to compare with players like Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne.
After choosing Ronaldinho over Mbappe, he was asked to choose between his compatriot and Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo. He took some time, but Neymar opted for the legendary striker before immediately picking Lionel Messi over Ronaldo (via Daily Mail):
"Messi"
It's hardly any surprise, as he enjoyed some of the best years of his career alongside Lionel Messi and playing against Cristiano Ronaldo, while in La Liga. Neymar also played with the legendary Argentine playmaker in France with Paris Saint-Germain.