"I hate them both" - Paul Scholes gets kids to pick between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes received varied responses from a group of kids asked to pick between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo and Messi are widely regarded as two of the best players to grace the game.
During their illustrious careers spanning over two decades, the duo have scored over 800 goals for club and country and won big titles and individual honors galore.
Some of them include 13 Ballon d'Or titles between them - with Messi winning a record eight - and multiple UEFA Champions League titles - with Ronaldo doing so with multiple teams.
Despite being on the wrong side of 35, the duo are still going strong, showing little signs of slowing down anytime soon. Messi plays for MLS side Inter Miami, while Ronaldo plies his club football at Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr.
Experts, fans and players have been split over who's the better player between Messi and Ronaldo, with no general consensus. However, Scholes got an amusing reaction from a group of kids who were asked to do the name. While a few named Ronaldo, another said:
"I hate both"
There was another who said he 'hates Messi,' but a few said they liked Ronaldo. Here's the video of the fun interaction posted on Instagram by Manchester United Foundation and Manchester United.
While Messi has been out injured since the 2024 Copa America final - which Argentina won - Ronaldo's Portugal crashed out to France on penalties (5-3) in the Euro 2024 quarter-final following a goalless 120 minutes.
How have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fared this season?
Lionel Messi has had an injury-plagued start to the year with Inter Miami. In his first full season in American football, the 37-year-old has contributed 14 goals and 11 assists in 15 games across competitions.
That includes 12 goals and nine assists in 12 outings in the MLS, where the Herons are eight points clear atop the Eastern Conference after 26 games. However, without their talismanic captain, Tata Martino's side's Leagues Cup title defence ended in the Round of 16 with a 3-2 defeat at Columbus. They also lost 5-2 on aggregate in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-finals to Monterrey
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has had an impressive start to the 2024-25 season despite his side stuttering out the gates. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored in all four games, bagging four goals and two assists across competitions, losing to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup final.