Leroy Sane's old post on Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate goes viral
Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane's old X post regarding the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate has resurfaced online. Both players are considered among the greatest to grace the beautiful game.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's rivalry reached its peak between 2009 and 2018, when the Argentine was at Barcelona while Ronaldo plied his trade with Real Madrid. The duo faced each other at least twice each season, leading to a major rise in popularity for Clásicos. The duo has dominated football over the last two decades, with pundits and fans forever being divided over who's better. Both are still considered among the best players in the world despite leaving Europe around two years ago.
In a 2018 post on X (then Twitter), Leroy Sane jumped into the bandwagon to share his take on the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. During a Q&A session, Sane was asked to name the greatest footballers of all time. The German forward snubbed Ronaldo and wrote:
"I guess I’d go for either Messi or Ronaldinho."
Leroy Sane has faced Lionel Messi twice in his career during the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League in the 2022-23 season. Sane's Bayern Munich faced Messi's PSG over two legs, with the Parisians losing both times. Meanwhile, the German forward clashed with Cristiano Ronaldo three times for club and country, winning twice and losing once.
When Cristiano Ronaldo recalled how he translated English for Lionel Messi at an event
Ahead of facing Spain in the UEFA Nations League final, Cristiano Ronaldo recalled a fond memory of how he translated English for Lionel Messi at an event years ago. The legendary Portuguese claimed his archrival has always respected him and said (via The Mirror):
"I have affection for Messi, we were rivals for many years, but I have already said that we were in that scenario for 15 years and I remember that before he didn’t speak any English, I don’t know if he does now. And I translated for him when they explained to us what we had to do at a gala."
He also addressed the prospect of playing alongside Messi one day and added:
"I have affection for him, he has always treated me well and respected me as I respect him. I find it very difficult [to play alongside Messi], but you never know."
Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to their second UEFA Nations League title last week after a 5-3 win on penalties over Spain. The Portuguese superstar is expected to continue playing for Al-Nassr next season despite recent speculation regarding his future.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi plies his trade with MLS side Inter Miami and will be desperate to win the MLS Cup with them this year.