“It kind of reminds me of me” – Legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman chooses between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman chose Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi in the GOAT debate, admitting the former reminds him of himself off the pitch.
Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the world of football for nearly two decades now. The GOAT debate involving the two superstars has raged on for years with no set conclusion.
Ronnie Coleman was the latest of many to give his take on the debate. The 59-year-old retired professional bodybuilder won the title of Mr.Olympia for eight consecutive years and 26 IFBB titles. He is considered by many to be the GOAT of bodybuilding alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Coleman recently posted a video on his YouTube channel where a fan asked:
"Messi or Ronaldo?"
The bodybuilding GOAT proceeded to name Cristiano Ronaldo as the GOAT in football, saying:
"That’s a good question. Every now and then I’ll see my name online, and it’ll have Ronaldo and that kind of looks like Ronaldo. That’s another reason why I like Ronaldo. It kind of reminds me of me.“
While his reasoning is nothing to do with either player's ability on the pitch, it is interesting to see why Coleman resonated with Ronaldo over Lionel Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Exploring the impact both superstars have made over the years
While the GOAT debate may never yield a definitive answer, let's delve into the statistics on the brilliant careers of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Portugal ace has made 1170 appearances for both club and country across all competitions, scoring 839 goals and providing 236 assists. He has also won 33 major trophies and has five Ballon d'Or awards to his name.
Ronaldo has also played in more European leagues than Messi, plying his trade in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Primeira Liga. The 38-year-old currently represents Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, having joined the Knights of Najd in January.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi has scored 810 goals and provided 358 assists in 1030 appearances across all competitions for club and country. The 36-year-old has also won 43 major trophies in total - the joint-most in history alongside Dani Alves.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner also completed football last December by captaining Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the first time in his illustrious career.
The Argentine icon primarily spent the bulk of his career at Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for two seasons. He currently plays for MLS club Inter Miami.