But the 59-year-old
Maradona believes Ronaldo's ability in front of goal put him alongside Barcelona's Messi at the top of the world game, per Guillem Balague of Sky Sports' Revista de La Liga: Cristiano is a predator in front of goal. You can't let Cristiano shoot from anywhere in the opposition half.
Even Maradona thought Pele was the greatest soccer player of all time | Marca.
Maradona and Messi's statistics at World Cup matches are scarily similar. According to Sofascore, they have the same number of assists (5) and the same number of successful dribbles per game (5.0). Maradona beats Messi in key passes per game (3.19 to 2.88) but Messi wins in terms of shots per match (3.96 to 2.81).
Who is better Messi Or Ronaldo? Ronaldo has scored a record number of international goals and appearances, but Messi has won more Ballon d'Or awards (7). Messi has spent most of his playing career in Spain and France, while Ronaldo has played in Portugal, England, Spain, and Italy.
Lionel Messi is often considered the GOAT of football, following his exploits with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina.
Lionel Messi - The King of Football
Lionel Messi is an unstoppable football player from Argentina. After Diego, Messi has taken the title of the best football player from Argentina.
A seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, Messi has produced countless moments of genius throughout his illustrious career with Barcelona, Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain. An ultra-consistent performer, Messi has scored almost 800 career goals for club and country. Maradona, by comparison, scored fewer than 400 career goals.
Everything that we've gone over so far points us in this direction – Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest footballer from these three, and perhaps in the history of the game. Being a sensation from an early age, Ronaldo has shown us that he's able to adapt to different managers, clubs, and most importantly – leagues.
Pelé: King of the World Cup
Pelé managed to raise three World Cup trophies with Brazil, finishing with victories in Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and Mexico 1970. Maradona won one World Cup throughout his career, although behind him there is a memorable performance in Mexico 1986.
Diego Maradona, one of the greatest ever, once said that Gonzalez was greater than Pele and himself.
"Ronaldo Nazario was a phenomenom.
Of all the strikers I have seen, for me he was the best. An impressive player from any aspect," Messi said. Neither Diego Armando Maradona (whom Messi did not enjoy due to his age) nor any of the teammates he has had throughout his career, such as Xavi or Iniesta.
Turning back to Messi, Maradona said the Barcelona player was still the world`s best despite not having won a World Cup. "Alone, he will not be able to win the World Cup. You need a solid team for that. "Football history will remember Messi," said Maradona.
Maradona was half-joking, but it's fair to say he thought he was the best player that had ever lived - not Ronaldo. The Argentine was complimentary of Ronaldo later on in the interview. "[He's] Marvellous," Maradona continued.
Messi has NOT overtaken Maradona as Argentina's greatest player after World Cup win, insists Zanetti. Javier Zanetti has insisted that Lionel Messi has not overtaken Diego Maradona in Argentina's hall of fame after lifting the 2022 World Cup.
Pele, the legendary Brazilian footballer, is generally deemed the best football player in the world of all time. Pele is considered the god of football. There's not a single player who has won more world cups than him.
"He is a great person, but he has no personality," Maradona said, per ESPNFC.com. "He doesn't have the personality to be a leader." Messi, 28, is one of the most prolific forwards in the sport's history. To some, he has already unseated Maradona as the greatest Argentine footballer ever.
One of the greatest ever to grace the sport, Lionel Messi has made a massive impact on any team he has donned the jersey for and his dribbling skill is the major reason for it. Whether playing for the Argentina national football team or Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Messi produces brilliance in every match.
Maradona had better touch, and better passing skills than Pele. The only weakness of Maradona would be his over dependency on his left foot. But that same foot was magical. The 1986 World Cup was a one-man show, and part of the reason why I rate Maradona above Pele.
Messi beats Ronaldo to GOAT status after data analysis, says Liverpool FC's research director. The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has riveted football pundits and primary schoolchildren alike, fuelling endless debates over who is the greatest player of modern times – or ever.
Brazilian legend Pele is widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time. No player has won more World Cups than him, and that alone should be enough to justify the Brazilian's inclusion at the top of this list.
In his 1,152 career matches at club and international level, Ronaldo has found the net 827 times with 236 assists. That puts him clearly above Messi who has 799 goals, but the Argentinian has played a significantly lower number of games (1,013).