Napoli star Scott McTominay listed attributes from both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in building his perfect footballer last year. The Scotland international has enjoyed a brilliant season in Italy, helping the Partenopei win a second league title in three years.
In a January 2024 interview with GOAL, McTominay was asked to create his dream footballer using attributes of different players. The 28-year-old midfielder was given six criteria to fill; right foot, left foot, speed, strength, skills, and football IQ.
McTominay said that he would take the right foot of Cristiano Ronaldo and the left foot of Lionel Messi in building his perfect footballer. He named Kylian Mbappe as the player whose speed he would take, and Romelu Lukaku was his answer for strength. Neymar was his pick for skills, and Andrea Pirlo was picked for his football IQ.
Scott McTominay joined a long list of footballers who admired Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for their qualities on the pitch. The midfielder played alongside Ronaldo at Manchester United but never played with Messi, who he considers to be the best footballer ever.
McTominay was named as the Most Valuable Player in the Serie A this season after leading Napoli to the Scudetto on the final day of the season. The midfielder scored 12 goals, including one against Cagliari on the final day, to help his side secure only their fourth league title in history.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hinted that Cristiano Ronaldo could yet feature alongside Lionel Messi at the Club World Cup next month. The Portugal international is currently on the books of Al-Nassr, who did not qualify for the expanded competition this year.
Speaking on IShowSpeed’s livestream, Infantino pointed out that discussions are being held behind closed doors about the possibility of Ronaldo participating in the tournament. He revealed that the 40-year-old could join one of the sides campaigning in the competition next month.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will be there, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr did not qualify, with Al-Hilal the only Saudi side in the tournament. The forward’s contract is set to expire with the Knights of Najd and he may sign a new contract with the club, and join another side on a short-term loan.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
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