“Ronaldo does things other players can do”, “That’s ridiculous” – When Carragher disagreed with Neville over Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi claim
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are widely regarded as two of the greatest players of all time, with fans and players - current and former - divided on the GOAT debate.
One such discussion unfolded on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports in September 2021, where Premier League legends Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville voiced their opinions and explained their choices. While Neville waxed lyrical about Ronaldo, Carragher tipped his hat to Messi.
Ronaldo, 38, and Messi, 36, are undoubtedly the two standout players of their generation and quite possibly of all time. With 12 Ballon d'Or awards and eight UEFA Champions League titles between them and with each player scoring over 800 goals for club and country, their sustained excellence and pedigree is unquestionable.
Manchester United legend Neville explained why he would bring on Ronaldo rather than Messi off the bench to win a game. Hailing Ronaldo's scoring ability, Neville said:
"I looked at his goal breakdown: he can score with his left foot, his wrong foot; he can score from distance; he's probably the best poacher in all of football. "He can score penalties, and if you hang it up there in the box, he can score a header. He might even score a free-kick.
Neville added:
"Messi's goals and Ronaldo's goals, there's no doubt Messi has scored an obscene amount of goals, he's a ridiculous player. It's a hypothetical question. But for me, apart from the wrong-footed goals, the headers, Ronaldo's scored 30-40 per cent more with his wrong foot, and he's scored more penalties. It took me to a point where he's more complete.
"The Ballon d'Ors are similar, Messi's won more league titles with that Barcelona team. The Champions Leagues along with the variety of goals he's scored leads me to think he's the best player of all time."
Neville concluded:
"That's not bias, that's me looking at answering that question of who I would trust to bring off the bench the most in the most different ways. Who is the most complete player.
"Messi's goals and Ronaldo's goals, there's no doubt Messi has scored an obscene amount of goals, he's a ridiculous player. It's a hypothetical question.
Carragher chimed in, terming Messi as the better player while acknowledging Ronaldo's brilliance:
"Nobody's not a fan of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is not the greatest player of all time. His mate here is. (Messi). You talk about who you'd want coming off the bench, Messi has scored twice as many goals from the bench as Ronaldo has ever scored.
"Two wonderful players, but what Ronaldo does and all the attributes in terms of heading, free-kicks, I completely agree. In terms of the complete player and doing things Messi couldn't in terms of weak foot and in the air."
Carragher concluded:
"Messi takes you to a place where you can't believe what you're seeing. Ronaldo does things other players can do. You've seen someone score a great header before, free-kicks, all those things. Messi can do things we've never seen before, and yes it's close. But in terms of goalscoring, that's not right.
How have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fared this season?
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have ventured outside European club football for the first time.
While Ronaldo joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in December after mutually terminating his Manchester United contract, Messi arrived at MLS club Inter Miami as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner has hit the ground running, bagging seven goals and an assist in four Leagues Cup games. Meanwhile, Ronaldo has scored three times in four games for Al-Nassr.