"I have never been a crowd follower" - When Jasprit Bumrah snubbed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to name ex-Barcelona star as his favorite
In July this year, Indian cricket superstar Jasprit Bumrah snubbed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, naming former Barcelona forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic as his favorite player. The debate about the best player in the history of football has often focused on Messi and Ronaldo, as they have dominated the sport for two decades.
However, for Bumrah, the choice has not been between the two legends, who have won a combined 13 Ballon d'Or awards. Instead, the pacer opted for Ibrahimovic, telling Indian Express Adda (via Times Now):
"I have never been a crowd follower. It is not like if 50 people like one person, I will like that person. I am a fan (of Zlatan Ibramovic) because his story resonated with me... I came from a family where nobody has played the sport. Nobody knows anything about the sport. Not a lot of belief was there."
"So I had to instill belief in myself that I will be a cricketer. When I came into the sport, I used to bowl differently. I still do. So people did not have a lot of belief. 'What is this bowling? This will not last," he added.
Bumrah continued:
"Fighting the odds and making it big is what I had seen in his (Zlatan Ibramovic) story. Not letting the world affect him and in fact dictating terms is what I picked up and resonated with me. That is why I am, to date, a fan. He lives his life the way he wants to live. If you like him, great. If you don't, that's how it is. Hopefully one day, I get an opportunity to meet."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic may not have reached the heights that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did. However, he remains one of the best strikers in the history of the sport, scoring 496 goals and providing 202 assists across 827 games in his club career.
Rodri picks Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has picked Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo. In an interview with Spanish outlet El Hormiguero, the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner spoke about the two players. He said (via 90min):
"I have no doubt about it, Messi. I always say that Cristiano has managed to match Messi in many things, perhaps without the innate talent that Leo has, but those of us who really play against them quickly realise the difference."
Rodri has played against both players during his time in LaLiga, where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ruled for a decade. He added:
"Cristiano, for example, what you didn't want him to do was step into the box, because when he did step into the box he was lethal. But Messi was lethal on all sides of the pitch..."
Ronaldo and Messi have since left Europe for other shores. The legendary Portuguese striker plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, while his Argentine counterpart plays for Inter Miami in the MLS.