Jorge Jesus believes Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't need to be as 'artistic' as Lionel Messi to be the best player in the world

What's the story?

Flamengo coach Jorge Jesús appears to have hit out at the critics of Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that the Juventus talisman does not need to be as artistic as Lionel Messi to be considered as the best player in the world.

In case you didn't know...

The age-old debate surrounding Messi and Ronaldo never ceases to end as an unrelenting series of statistics and arguments make their way into the conversation on a regular basis.

A host of football personalities have made their pick between the five-time Ballon d'Or recipients, providing varied explanations for their choice.

Messi has often been considered to be the more artistic of the two, as recently highlighted by former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is believed to be the epitome of an athlete who develops his skills through hard work and sheer practice.

Both players have reached unprecedented heights in the game and are currently still winning titles for their respective clubs. While Messi led Barcelona to the LaLiga title for the second season running last term, Ronaldo helped Juventus to an eighth straight Serie A triumph.

The heart of the matter

In an interview with Globo Esporte, Jesús has weighed in on the matter by picking Ronaldo, who he believes to be a 'lesson' to children across the world.

He said (via Sport English), "For me, Cristiano Ronaldo is the best. I don't have any doubts about that. He doesn't score 10 or 20 goals but 30, 40 or 50. He doesn't need to be as artistic as Messi."

"Everyone needs to look at Ronaldo. Not just for his quality but for how he is as a professional, how he reached the level he's at. It should be a lesson to any child who wants to play football."

What's next?

Ronaldo is presently on international duty with Portugal, while Messi is serving his three-month ban from international football.