“You can never get the better of him” - When Mario Balotelli made his choice in Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate
Mario Balotelli picked Lionel Messi as his greatest of all time (GOAT) player over Cristiano Ronaldo during an interview back in 2019. The Italian striker claimed that any defender would be happier to face Ronaldo over Messi.
Speaking to Football Italia in 2019, Balotelli stated that Ronaldo would have been the best in the world if Messi was not playing. He added that they were not on the same level and said:
"They're the two best, but they're not the same. If we're talking statistically, they're the same. But as someone who played against both, I can say that in my opinion Messi is out of this world, embarrassing. You can never get the better of him. In terms of quality, Messi is better than everyone.
"I'm convinced that if you ask a defender if they would rather play against Messi or Ronaldo, they would have no doubts. Messi and Ronaldo are two phenomena, true, but they're not the same. If there was no Messi, Ronaldo would be the best in the world."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi shared the stage for nearly two decades before they left Europe. The Portuguese star has won five Ballons d'Or while the Argentine has collected the award eight times in his career.
Mario Balotelli respects both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Mario Balotelli respects both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He believes that the Portuguese star trains a lot harder than others, but the Argentine could decide matches on his own.
He told Football Italia:
"I have a lot of respect for him [Ronaldo], for how he trains, and it's pleasure to watch him play and see how he managed to work on his body. Then people take it out on me and say I don't know what I'm talking about… We're talking about the two best players in the world.
"Ronaldo touched the ball three times against Atletico and scored three goals, but that's his strength. Yesterday Messi decided the match against Liverpool. I leave the statistics to journalists, but it's like comparing Maradona and Pele. Pele scored more goals than Maradona, but when Maradona touched the ball he was something else."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's rivalry is all but over now following their respective exits from European football. The Portuguese star is now at Al Nassr, while the Argentine has moved to MLS with Inter Miami.