Jose Mourinho weighs in on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi debate
Former Real Madrid and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has appreciated both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, rather than preferring one player.
Speaking to On the Touchline last year, the Portuguese manager admitted that both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had put the bar really high.
Mourinho, the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur, coached Cristiano Ronaldo during his stint as Real Madrid boss. However, the Portuguese was apprehensive about choosing one of the two, admitting that they were lucky and unlucky at the same time.
"I think they are lucky and unlucky to be in the same generation. They are lucky because they can compete against each other. They look to each other in a positive way and get extra motivation. If there was only one of them, they would have ten Golden Boots."
The former Chelsea manager stated that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had placed the bar really high.
"Now, I think they have put the bar really high. And you have the players coming behind, who I like to call the 'little monsters'. The bar has to be high, so it has to be incredible motivation for Neymar, [Kylian] Mbappé and [Antoine] Griezmann."
Mourinho ultimately pointed out that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would not last forever.
"Unfortunately, Cristiano and Messi will not last forever."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have entered the twilight years of their careers
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are seen as two of the greatest players to have played the game. During Ronaldo's stint at Real Madrid, the club's matches against Lionel Messi's Barcelona in El Clasicos were highly-anticipated across the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo now plays for Serie A giants Juventus, while Lionel Messi continues to play and captain Barcelona. However, that could change in the near future, with Messi's Barcelona contract expiring in the summer.
Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have been heavily linked with Lionel Messi, who looks likely to leave Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo is regarded as Juventus' most important player. Despite this, the Portuguese superstar has been linked with a return to Manchester United, while Paris Saint-Germain have also been mooted as a destination.
Also Read: 10 best forwards in Serie A this year (2020)