Chelsea legend N’Golo Kante once took his pick in the age-old Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. The two legends have been pitted against each other for the last two decades, although the football world remains divided over who is better.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s rivalry reached its peak between 2009 and 2018, when Messi was at Barcelona and Ronaldo at Real Madrid. The two legends clashed against each other at least twice each season in this period during El Clasicos. Moreover, the duo dominated football for the last two decades, with Messi winning eight Ballons d’Or and Ronaldo having five. Fans and pundits have debated over who’s better for several years, but the question will perhaps always remain unanswered.
In a 2016 interview (h/t Pulse Sports), Chelsea legend N’Golo Kante was asked to pick the greatest of all time between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Frenchman was at Leicester City at that time. Kante did not hesitate to make his choice clear, saying:
Both Messi and Ronaldo left European football almost two years ago, but continue to remain among the best players in the world. Lionel Messi has been in impressive form for MLS side Inter Miami, leading them to two trophies since joining in the summer of 2023.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has been in red-hot form for the Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, having scored 91 times in 103 outings for the club across competitions.
In a 2024 interview on the Obi One Podcast, Eden Hazard offered an interesting take on the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. The retired Belgian superstar highlighted both players’ positives, but chose Zinedine Zidane as the undisputed great.
Eden Hazard has faced Messi four times for club and country. The Belgian never won against the Argentine, lost three times, and drew one game. Meanwhile, Hazard clashed with Ronaldo only once, when Belgium won 1-0 against Portugal in the Euro 2020 Round of 16.
Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his hard work and dedication. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray’s cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she’s a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
When Pratyasha’s off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.
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