The comparison of PSG superstar Lionel Messi and Al Nassr’s rival Cristiano Ronaldo to other legendary footballers like Pele and Diego Maradona is not out of the ordinary. Jorge Jesus, a former Benfica manager, took a different approach to the ongoing debate.
The Portuguese said in old quotes from The Sun that Ronaldo is more like Maradona than Messi because of how passionate he is. Along with the great Brazilian player Pele, he also named the 1986 FIFA World Cup champion the greatest player in history.
According to reports, the former Benfica manager said:
“Maradona, along with Pele, was the greatest player ever. The interview was conducted prior to Pele’s death in December 2022; he is still here and alive. Maradona was superior not only for his genius but also for the manner in which he displayed it. For me, that makes all the difference. He was unquestionably world-class, but he also loved the game. He was born with everything needed to be a football player.”
“He was born that way, so it was not the result of hard work. Yet, he actually cherished having the ball. Today, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best two players in the world. Messi is in a bind. He has no passion at all. Messi is a fantastic athlete. But we’re talking about life and feelings, as well as our love of football and the game. In that regard, I think Maradona was better than anyone.”
Even though Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are getting closer to the end of their careers, they continue to have an impact on the sport. The Argentine has become a key player for PSG after overcoming his slow start, scoring 18 goals and providing 16 assists in 29 games this season.
Since joining Al Nassr in the winter, the Portuguese icon has scored eight goals and provided two assists in two games.
A sports pundit asserts that Lionel Messi has settled the GOAT debate with Cristiano Ronaldo following the World Cup victory:
Paul Merson, a football analyst, has stated that the PSG forward has finally established himself as the GOAT contender after leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup final in Qatar last year.
In his column for the Daily Star, Merson wrote:
“The Cristiano Ronaldo debate has already been resolved for me by Messi. I used to be divided between Messi and Maradona, but they have the most natural talent I’ve ever seen. They had it from birth. The coach who taught Messi when he was six years old in Argentina is the best coach in history, even if he wasn’t.”
“Messi is simply a total and utter monster of a character, while Ronaldo has had to perform so difficult to reach where he is. Nevertheless, throughout his career, he has pushed his natural talent to its limits.”