Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? When Liverpool star Darwin Nunez gave hilarious reply to fan's questionÂ
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have continued to divide opinions of both fans and pundits alike for over one-and-a-half decade. Both players have competed for trophies at both team and individual levels, making the pair's longstanding rivalry a point of heated debate.
Earlier in 2022, Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was asked to pick between the 37-year-old Argentine and the 39-year-old Portuguese in a quick chat with a fan. The Uruguayan responded with a smile:
"Salah!"
Mohamed Salah, who is in the final year of his Liverpool contract, is considered to be one of the best modern-day attackers owing to his outings over the last decade. Since joining Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, the 32-year-old has guided his club to eight silverwares.
The 101-cap Egypt international has netted 219 times in 362 total appearances for Liverpool, lifting the Premier League Golden Boot award three times so far. He has also laid out 96 assists for his current club.
Salah has opened the ongoing 2024-25 campaign on a great note, guiding his club to 11 wins in 13 overall outings so far. He has found the back of the net eight times and contributed seven assists this season.
Mikael Silvestre tells Cristiano Ronaldo to exit current team & move to Lionel Messi's league
Speaking to betting website Norskebettingsider, ex-Manchester United centre-back Mikael Silvestre opined on Cristiano Ronaldo possibly playing against Lionel Messi in the United States. He said (h/t Mirror):
"It would be amazing to see Cristiano Ronaldo competing against Lionel Messi in the MLS, it would be a dream for football fans. However, I think he is happy in Saudi Arabia and is the face of the league out there."
Silvestre, who shared the pitch with the Al-Nassr attacker 138 times during his time at Manchester United from 2003 to 2008, continued:
"He is also still playing for Portugal. Maybe after the World Cup, he'll decide to make a change in what might be the last transfer of his career."
With neither Ronaldo and Messi in the Ballon d'Or 2024 shortlist, it is safe to claim that both are in the twilight of their respective careers. Both attackers are expected to feature in their last FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has registered 67 goals and 18 assists in 75 total matches for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, according to Transfermarkt. Messi, on the other hand, has contributed 33 goals and 18 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions for Inter Miami so far.