Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? When Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez provided witty response to question on GOAT debate
Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez jokingly claimed that Mohamed Salah was better than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when asked to weigh in on the GOAT debate between the two.
Nunez made headlines yesterday (August 27) after he scored a brace off the bench to secure a thrilling 2-1 win for 10-man Liverpool against Newcastle United at St. James' Park.
On December 30, 2022, the 24-year-old was approached by a fan and asked to give his input on the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate. Nunez, however, gave a small laugh and proceeded to name Salah instead. The Egyptian winger was next to him signing autographs for fans, so it can be inferred that Nunez's response was a joke.
The GOAT debate has been raging on for more than a decade with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo having a shout for being the best-ever.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah has arguably been Liverpool's best player in the Premier League era behind club icon Steven Gerrard. The 31-year-old moved to Anfield from Roma for £36.9 million ahead of the 2017-18 season.
Salah has never looked back since, scoring 187 goals and providing 81 assists in 308 appearances for the Reds across all competitions. He has also won three Premier League Golden Boots and seven major trophies for the club, often drawing comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo in the past.
When Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard gave his verdict on the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate
Darwin Nunez may have joked about the GOAT debate to avoid creating headlines, but Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard provided a sincere response when confronted with the question. The Al-Ettifaq manager picked Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo.
When asked to give his say on the Robbie Savage Podcast, Gerrard said (via Sport Joe):
"They're [Ronaldo and Messi] very different for me. I think they're both operating on a different planet to every footballer that's ever lived, probably besides your Peles and your Maradonas. But Messi, for me, is more of a team player. If he's in on goal, he'll look for a pass as well as obviously posting really, really good numbers individually as well."
Lionel Messi has scored 818 goals and provided 359 assists in 1037 total appearances for club and country. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner averages a goal every 104 minutes in his storied career and recently won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. He currently plies his trade for MLS Club Inter Miami, where he guided them to the Leagues Cup trophy.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 847 goals and provided 238 assists in 1177 appearances across all competitions. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner averages a goal every 113 minutes and is currently playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.
Messi has won more major trophies in his career (44) compared to Ronaldo (34), but there is no doubt that both of them are two of the best to ever grace this sport.