“He is the GOAT” - Bayer Leverkusen star snubs Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as he names his football idol
Victor Boniface has refused to pick between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, insisting, instead, that Neymar is the G.O.A.T. The striker has been outstanding for Bayer Leverkusen since arriving at the BayArena last summer and has now given his thoughts on the G.O.A.T debate.
Ronaldo and Messi may be in the twilight of their illustrious careers but fans continue to debate who reigns supreme. The Portuguese is currently plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, having joined the club in 2022 December.
The Argentinean, meanwhile, moved to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 following the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Boniface picked Neymar ahead of the two modern superstars of football as his favorite player. Speaking to Sporty TV, Boniface insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are from another planet while Neymar is the best on Earth.
“Neymar is my football idol and G.O.A.T. Ronaldo and Messi are from different planets. On this planet, Neymar is my G.O.A.T,” said Boniface.
Neymar moved to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023 but has endured an injury-ravaged time in the Middle East. He has appeared just five times for the Saudi Pro League outfit, spending much of his time on the sidelines.
Will the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi rivalry ever end?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been going at each other for almost two decades now. It all began when the Portuguese was tearing it up for Manchester United, while Messi was making waves with Barcelona.
Their rivalry reached a record high after the five-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Real Madrid in 2009. For the next nine seasons, the two players dominated football like few had done before.
Messi went on to win eight Ballon d'Ors while Ronaldo tamed the Champions League, winning the coveted trophy five times. They set and broke goal-scoring records at will and captivated the imagination of fans.
The Portuguese appeared to briefly take the lead in the G.O.A.T debate after winning Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019. However, the Argentinean responded by winning the Copa America 2021, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Copa America this year.
While many believe that Lionel Messi has established himself as the greatest ever by winning the Holy Grail of football, Cristiano Ronaldo fans will beg to differ. For now, it appears that their rivalry will be a part of their legacy and won't be over anytime soon.