Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? When Chelsea captain Reece James picked between the two GOATs
Chelsea captain Reece James once weighed in on the GOAT debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The England international made his choice in a Q&A he held on his Twitter back in December 2022. At the time, Cristiano Ronaldo's future was uncertain after parting ways with Manchester United.
The Portuguese forward had an explosive interview with journalist Piers Morgan, during which he hit out at the club's management and some former players. This led to a massive fallout with Manchester United's hierarchy and manager Erik ten Hag. His contract was subsequently voided by mutual consent before his lucrative move to Al-Nassr.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was plying his trade in Ligue 1 for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) with his contract set to expire the following summer, at which point he joined MLS side Inter Miami.
The superstar duo have dominated the sport for decades and are arguably the two greatest players to have ever played the game. However, the matter of who's the better footballer between the two has been disputed endlessly.
When asked about who his pick was in the aforementioned Q&A session, James said (via football.london):
"Ronaldo."
Reece James worked his way up to the first team through Chelsea's academy, earning his promotion in 2019 under former manager Frank Lampard. The English right-back has made 158 appearances for the Blues, contributing 11 goals and 22 assists.
The Chelsea captain is yet to feature this season owing to a hamstring injury.
"Just the best player ever" - When Chelsea star Cole Palmer picked between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer once offered his two cents on who the greatest of all time is between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He picked the Argentine superstar, insisting that he's clear of his Portuguese counterpart.
The interview was in November 2023, when Palmer was in excellent form for the Blues. The club secured his signature last summer for a reported £42.5 million fee from Manchester City.
Palmer went on to exceed expectations with his incredible performances for the west Londoners. He scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists across all competitions last term.
During an interview with Sky Sports, the England international was asked to choose between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He wrote 'Messi' on his whiteboard and then explained:
"Just the way he plays, everything he's won, all the individual trophies... just the best player ever."
"Messi's clear for me, but obviously Ronaldo's one of the greatest players ever as well."
Palmer became the first player to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League game in Chelsea's 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on September 28.