Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko makes decision as he ranks Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in top 5 favorite footballers of all time
Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko has named Lionel Messi ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in his five favorite footballers list. The superstar duo have been involved in a heated GOAT debate for ages and continue to divide opinion among the masses.
The Argentinean won everything on offer with Barcelona, before conquering Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Lionel Messi currently plies his trade with MLS side Inter Miami and won the Supporters' Shield this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has found tremendous success with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. The Portuguese moved to the Middle East in December 2022 to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
Even though they are in the final phases of their career, their rivalry has shown no signs of slowing down.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Zinchenko also named Ronaldo Nazario, Thierry Henry, and Ronaldinho among his top five footballers.
"R9 (Ronaldo Nazario), Thierry (Henry), Ronaldinho, Cristiano, Messi," said Zinchenko.
Cristiano Ronaldo won Euro 2016 with Portugal and also lifted the UEFA Nations League with his country in 2019. The 39-year-old is the leading goalscorer in Men's International Football with 135 goals from 217 games.
Lionel Messi also boasts a stellar career with the Argentina senior team. La Pulga has two Copa America trophies and one Finalissima under his belt. The 37-year-old has also won the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
How many European Golden Shoes have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi won in their career?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the European Golden Shoe award, unlike any player in the history of the beautiful game. The trophy is presented every year to the leading scorer of the league season across Europe's major leagues.
The Portuguese first won the award as a Manchester United player in the 2007-08 season. He finished the campaign with 31 goals from 34 games in the league.
Ronaldo went on to add three more golden shoes to his cabinet, all won as a Real Madrid player. Messi, meanwhile, first got his hands on the coveted trophy in the 2009-10 season, registering 34 goals from 35 league outings.
The diminutive Argentinean has won the award a record six times in total, all during his time with Barcelona. Interestingly, La Pulga scored a record 50 league goals from 37 games in the 2011-12 campaign and 46 goals from 32 games the following season. He won the Golden Boot on both occasions.