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Former England striker Gary Lineker reiterated his belief that Lionel Messi is a better soccer player than Cristiano Ronaldoinsisting that the opinion should not be seen as a criticism of the Portuguese captain.
Speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Lineker explained why he considers Messi to be the greatest player he has ever seen, while also expressing his admiration for Ronaldo’s achievements throughout his career.
The former Barcelona striker said Messi’s combination of longevity, vision and technical ability put him above all other players of his generation.
Messi remains Lineker’s benchmark
Lineker revealed he once believed Diego Maradona would go down as the best player of his life before Messi changed his mind.
“In my life. I never thought I would see a better player than Diego,” he said.
“Maybe he’s not necessarily a better player, but he lived a better life so he had more longevity. And I think you have to take that into account.”
The former striker praised Messi’s all-round game, highlighting qualities beyond his scoring and dribbling ability.
“Take away all the goals and dribbling and stuff. His passing and his vision, I just don’t know how it’s humanly possible,” Lineker added.
“He gave me 20 years of joy watching him.”
The comparison with Ronaldo causes a breakdown
While acknowledging Ronaldo’s extraordinary career, Lineker insisted there was a clear difference between the two football icons when it came to natural talent.
“I absolutely think he is an amazing footballer, but there is no debate about who is the better footballer. Anyone who understands the game will see that,” he said.
The former English national team member pointed out that the comparison between Ronaldo and Messi should be understood as a compliment, not as a criticism of the Portuguese star.
“In many eras, he would have been the best player of his time. But the fact that he’s actually in the same breath and that a lot of people are comparing him is a huge compliment.”
Lineker added: “Because he doesn’t have the ability that Messi has. Nobody does. But that’s no insult to Ronaldo.”
The 64-year-old also revealed that his stance on the debate appears to have affected his relationship with Ronaldo.
“Ronaldo gets annoyed, he doesn’t talk to me anymore,” Lineker said.
“We used to get along well. Then suddenly they interviewed me and asked me who was the better player. Well, Messi. And then he doesn’t like you anymore.”
