“The 2 best players on the planet” - When Carlos Tevez highlighted the ‘biggest differences’ between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Carlos Tevez has played alongside both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the past. While Tevez teamed up with Ronaldo at Manchester United for two seasons, the Argentine striker was Messi's national team compatriot as well for more than a decade.
Tevez had given his take on the famous Messi vs Ronaldo debate in 2018 to determine who the better player is between the two legends.
Tevez told ESPN Argentina (via One Football):
“Cristiano is totally different to Messi. When Leo was starting out, he didn’t touch a gym. But Cristiano was there in the morning, afternoon and evening, all the time. Cristiano had to work and prepare himself to be the best, while for Leo it comes naturally.
“Those are the greatest differences that I see between the two best players on the planet. Messi plays another sport. For Messi to score three goals [in any given game] is normal,” he added.
Tevez has registered 291 goals and 127 assists in 721 games at the club level. For Argentina, he has scored 13 goals and registered as many assists in 76 matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both left European club football
After dominating European football for more than a decade and winning 13 Ballons d'Or between them, Messi and Ronaldo are currently plying their trade outside the continent.
Ronaldo left Manchester United in December 2022 by mutual consent and joined Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr. He has registered 44 goals and 13 assists in 52 games across competitions for the SPL side.
Messi ended his two-year contract at Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023. He then left to join Major League Soccer team Inter Miami. Messi has 16 goals and seven assists in 19 games across competitions for the American club.
On the international front, both players continue to represent their national teams. Ronaldo won the 2016 Euros and 2019 UEFA Nations League with Portugal while Messi won the 2021 Copa America and then the famous Qatar FIFA World Cup in 2022.