"Respect them both in the same way" - Lampard makes honest claim when asked to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has refused to pick a better player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The former midfielder said that he has the same level of respect for both players and suggested it would be unfair to choose one.
Speaking to TNT Sports, he said:
"I played against both, more against Cristiano, when he was at Manchester United.
"I played a lot against Messi, in some big games between Chelsea and Barcelona. Messi, for me, individually, in terms of talent, is probably the greatest ever, but what Cristiano has done, in terms of what he has become, the numbers, the results, the goals, the dedication and the hunger he continues to have, even to this day, means that they are there together.
"I have to respect them both in the same way. I think it's not fair to try to put one above the other, being the most fantastic players. I feel honored to have played against players of this level."
Lampard enjoyed mixed success when he came up against Ronaldo, primarily during the 39-year-old's time at Manchester United. They faced off 16 times in all, with the Portuguese hero victorious six times while the Blues icon won five times.
He had a similar record against Messi, facing off against the 37-year-old in some of Chelsea's iconic battles against Barcelona in the Champions League. In nine occasions, the duo took home two wins each.
"Ronaldo could play for anyone" - When Sir Alex Ferguson weighed in on the debate between the Portuguese star and Lionel Messi
Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo had the ability to play for any team in the world. The Scotsman went on to state that while Messi was a great in his own right, he would not find much success away from Barcelona.
Speaking to Manchester Evening News in 2015, Ferguson said:
“People say who is the best player in the world? And plenty of people quite rightly say Messi – you can’t dispute that opinion.
“But Ronaldo could play for Millwall, Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster Rovers, anyone, and score a hat-trick in a game.
“I’m not sure Messi could do it. Ronaldo’s got two feet, he’s quick, great in the air, he’s brave – Messi’s brave, of course. I think Messi’s a Barcelona player.”
The Argentine superstar eventually proved the manager wrong with a good two-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Inter Miami last summer, where he has lit the MLS on fire.
Ferguson played a huge role in the emergence of Ronaldo, identifying his talent as a teenager from Sporting Lisbon. He eventually went on to play a key role in the forward's return to the Red Devils in the summer of 2021.