"The difference is huge" - When Mikel Arteta picked between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked in 2024 to name his favorite footballer, and he chose Lionel Messi over the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele and Diego Maradona. Messi and Ronaldo dominated the game for nearly two decades and have divided opinion over who was better.
However, Arteta seemed confident as he backed Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo. The former Spanish midfielder also revealed that his three children were fans of the Argentine superstar.
The Arsenal boss told Sky Sports (via SportBible):
"It's always been Messi, I can't deny. For me, my three sons it's exactly the same. It's something that we have been really lucky to have the opportunity for many years to experience, in my opinion, the best player of all time."
He further added:
"For me, it has to be because, in comparison to how much I was Messi and the others (Cristiano Ronaldo and Pele), the difference is huge."
Mikel Arteta never faced Messi in his professional career but he played against Ronaldo during his time at Everton. The Arsenal boss played for the Toffees between 2005 and 2011, and Ronaldo was a part of Manchester United from 2003 to 2009 during his first spell at Old Trafford.
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah once shared his opinion in the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate
Egyptian attacker Mohamed Salah also picked Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in the football GOAT (Greatest of all time) debate. According to Barca Worldwide on X, the Liverpool superstar was asked to choose between Messi and Ronaldo in March last year.
Responding to the question, Mohamed Salah said:
"Messi, it's not a debate anymore."
Liverpool recently recorded a 2-0 victory over Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, January 18. Darwin Nunez scored twice (90+1' and 90+3') in the added time to help the Reds to a win after two consecutive draws in English top-tier football.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah has been in stellar form this season. He has scored 21 goals and provided 17 assists in 30 matches across competitions for Liverpool. He's also the top scorer in the Premier League with 18 goals, ahead of Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who has bagged 16.