"I just believe that football has evolved" - Arsene Wenger brilliantly explains the difference between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
The Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate is never going to end. However, Arsene Wenger has attempted to highlight how both are at the same level and claimed that while one is an 'athlete-footballer' and the other is an 'exceptional artist'.
Messi vs Ronaldo debates have been going on for over a decade now, and the two footballers have possibly pushed each other beyond their limits. They have battled hard on the pitch while respecting each other off it to make for a highly entertaining decade in the world of football.
Are you ready for the day Messi and Ronaldo retire? 😰 https://t.co/vxlBWFrZcC
Every footballer and manager has been asked the usual 'Messi vs Ronaldo' question in their interviews, and Arsene Wenger was no different. When quizzed by SoFoot in 2020, the former Arsenal manager said:
"I often say that Cristiano Ronaldo is the athlete-footballer, and Lionel Messi, the exceptional artist, this is the difference between the two. Afterwards, everyone prefers one or the other. When we like the game, we prefer the artist. The creative makes you discover things that you do not see, that you have not even considered from the stands.
"It's (creative style) finer, even if I don't deny the quality of the Portuguese star. I just believe that football has evolved into the Ronaldo style. This does not mean that we should eliminate the creative. The rules must evolve to make the game more spectacular, more beautiful to see."
Arsene Wenger hints at his favorite in the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate
Arsene Wenger was asked back in 2019 as well to comment on the debate, and he hinted at Messi being his choice.
Wenger tried to sign both Ronaldo & Messi for Arsenal!
We only found this out because @SaucyyPepe wanted to #AskArsene which he thought was the best player! #beINWenger https://t.co/sOeFewhvQc
However, he did not reveal it directly, but said:
"I would say that they are so good that it's difficult to choose - in 10 footballers of the year, it's five and five, so that shows they are really on the same level. Artistically, Messi is as well a guy who can give the final ball, so he's maybe more a creative player than Ronaldo. Ronaldo is more a finisher, better in the air, more athletic, and Messi is the more artistic. So, basically, you are always tempted a little bit more by a player like Messi."
Lionel Messi had a tough season at PSG by his standards and managed just six goals in his debut Ligue1 season. Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Manchester United last season and is now been linked with an exit with Chelsea among the potential suitors.