Former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker chooses between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are all set to go down as two of the greatest footballers of all time. The legendary attackers have dominated the modern era and are still going strong despite entering their 30s.
While Cristiano Ronaldo has represented four clubs in as many European leagues, Lionel Messi has spent the entirety of his playing career at Barcelona and could well retire at the Camp Nou when his time comes. The age-old debate about who the better player is between the two continues to divide opinion, with several high-profile personalities weighing in on the matter.
Former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker, however, had no doubt in his mind that Lionel Messi is a superior footballer than Cristiano Ronaldo. Speaking to talkSPORT, the Englishman referred to the Barcelona attacker as "a phenomenal player" and lavished praise on his all-round ability.
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi on a different level when compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, says Lineker
"He's just phenomenal. He plays the game in a way the rest of us are not familiar with. I watch a lot of football, and people pine on this wholeĀ Messi vs Ronaldo debate; there's no comparison for me."
"MessiĀ is on a different level to everybody else, it's as simple as that. People say to me what about Ronaldo's goalscoring record and so forth? But I say to them have you seenĀ MessiĀ pass a football? Have you seen him dribble towards goal?"
Lineker's comments come as no surprise, with the former Barcelona star one of the biggest Lionel Messi fans of his generation. The Englishman was a successful striker back in the day and knows a thing or two about being a world-class attacker, having represented Barcelona from 1986 to 1989.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi could face each other for the first time in the UEFA Champions League group stages. Both Juventus and Barcelona have already secured qualification, but with top spot up for grabs, the two sides will look to pip one another at the Camp Nou next week.