“He is the greatest ever player” - When in-form Chelsea star Cole Palmer settled GOAT debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Chelsea star Cole Palmer picked Argentine superstar Lionel Messi over Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest footballer of all-time, in an interview with Sky Sports last year.
Messi and Ronaldo are considered two of the best players of all time, who will surely leave behind incredible footballing legacies when they retire. The former has a staggering 826 goals and 363 assists in 1052 career games, while the latter has 885 goals and 250 assists in 1215 appearances.
Back in November, the British media outlet asked Palmer who he thought was the greatest of all time (GOAT) in football. Without any hesitation, Palmer went on to write "Messi" on his whiteboard, and explained his choice by saying:
"Just the way he plays, everything he's won, all the individual trophies... just the best player ever."
The interviewer went on to ask him if Ronaldo was a close second, to which the youngster replied:
"Messi's clear for me, but obviously Ronaldo's one of the greatest players ever as well."
Cole Palmer moved from boyhood club Manchester City to Chelsea for a reported fee of €47 million at the start of the 2023-24 season. Since then, he has become a revelation for the Blues, becoming the best player in their current squad.
Amidst Chelsea's horrendous season, which sees them sitting 10th in the Premier League table, the 21-year-old has enjoyed an incredible season so far. He has bagged an astonishing 21 goals and 12 assists in 39 games across all competitions, earning himself the nickname "Cold Palmer" from fans and teammates alike.
Palmer scored a hat-trick, including goals in the 100th and 101st minutes, inspiring Chelsea to an improbable 4-3 victory against Manchester United in their most recent game in the league. He will surely have set his sights on firing the Blues into a European qualification spot in the Premier League.
Cristiano Ronaldo makes cheeky post on X just moments after Manchester United's loss to Chelsea
After Chelsea beat Manchester United to a crushing late defeat in the Premier League, former Red Devils star Cristiano Ronaldo made a cheeky post on X, possibly referring to the result.
Red Devils fans have previously criticized Ronaldo for posting at inopportune moments, which could insinuate negativity towards the club, and the trend seemingly stayed alive.
Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer completed a hat-trick by scoring a penalty in the 100th minute and another goal in the 101st minute right from the ensuing kickoff. His performance helped the Blues comeback from 2-3 down to take all three points with a 4-3 result.
Right after the full-time whistle, the Portuguese superstar made an eye-catching post on X, smiling at his phone next to a Saudi Arabian flag while in full Al-Nassr gear. He captioned the post:
"Happy days."
Cristiano was released by Manchester United in November 2022 following his criticism of the club's administration and a reported fall-out with manager Erik ten Hag.