Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? USMNT star Ricardo Pepi picks his GOAT
UNMNT star Ricardo Pepi has had his say on the eternal GOAT debate centering around Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The 21-year-old centre-forward currently plays for Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven, having joined them from FC Augsburg in 2023 for a reported transfer fee of €11 million (via Transfermarkt).
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are widely considered two of the greatest players to have ever graced the game. During their primes, the two maintained an unparalleled duopoly over the Ballon d'Or, winning thirteen between them (eight for Messi and five for Ronaldo). After dominating European football for a major chunk of two decades, Messi and Ronaldo currently ply their trade at Inter Miami and Al-Nassr, respectively.
In an interview for GOAL (posted on Instagram), Ricardo Pepi picked Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest player of all time over Messi. Here is how the conversation went:
Interviewer: Lionel Messi is the greatest player ever. Yes or no?
Pepi: No.
Interviewer: Who've you got?
Pepi: Ronaldo
Interviewer: We've got a Ronaldo fan in the building.
Despite nearing the twilights of their careers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are leading their sides from the front. In 18 games this season, Ronaldo has already registered 15 goals and three assists for the Knights of Najd. Messi, meanwhile, has netted 23 goals and created 13 more in 25 games for Inter Miami across competitions.
When Lionel Messi spoke about his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi spoke about his famous rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo after winning a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023 at the Théâtre du Châtelet. In an interview with French outlet L'Equipe, he said:
"It was a great battlerfrom a sporting point of view. We fed off each other's rivalry because we're both great competitors. He, too, always wanted to win everything, all the time. It was a very enjoyable time for both of us and for everyone who loves football," Messi said. (via GOAL)
The Argentine maestro also stressed the importance of consistently staying at the top.
"I think we deserve a lot of credit for having managed to stay at the top for so long. Because as they say, it's easy to get there. What's difficult is staying there. And we stayed at the top for ten, fifteen years. It's very difficult to stay at that level and it's spectacular. And I think it remains a good memory for all those who followed us," he continued.
Ronaldo has shown similar respect for Messi in past interviews. The two have faced each other for a total of 36 times to date. Messi has won 16 of these games, while his Portuguese counterpart has claimed 11 wins. The remaining nine finished in stalemates.