Messi or Ronaldo: Ex-Tottenham Star Son Heung-Min Settles GOAT Debate
- Son Heung-min shared his view on the Messi vs Ronaldo GOAT debate during an interview with the Late Run show
- The former Tottenham Hotspur star admitted he has a personal preference, but gave his honest assessment
- Son's comments come years after Ronaldo himself declared the rivalry over during a 2023 press conference
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Former Tottenham Hotspur winger Son Heung-min has weighed in on one of football's longest-running arguments, giving his verdict on whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo deserves the title of greatest player of all time.
The contest between Messi and Ronaldo dominated football for well over a decade, reaching its peak during their respective spells at Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Source: Getty Images
The intensity of the rivalry began to fade after Ronaldo's move to Juventus in 2018, and by 2023, Ronaldo himself declared the debate finished during a press conference, as noted by Daily Star.
Son settles GOAT debate
The Los Angeles FC forward addressed the debate during an appearance on the Late Run show, where he was candid about his admiration for both players while making clear where he ultimately stands.
Despite making a strong personal case for Ronaldo, Son conceded that the facts point elsewhere.
“I always say Cristiano Ronaldo because he is my idol; still he is. He is 41 and looks like 20, and he shows how much love of football or passion, but I can't change these things,” he said.
“Lionel Messi, wow, probably I'd say he is the GOAT; I can't disagree with this, he's probably the best player.”
Son's remarks reflect a view shared by many who grew up idolising Ronaldo but find it difficult to argue against Messi's overall body of work.
Kenyan journalist Martin Moses claimed that Son's comments is the standard for how people should make comparison in the dead GOAT debate.
"This is an accurate description from Son. It's the way most Ronaldo fans feel, but never want to admit. Someone could be better than your favourite, and he would still remain your favourite," he told Legit.ng.
"In Peter Drury's words 'the debate may rage on if you like..." Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of all time."
For a large section of fans, the argument shifted decisively in Messi's favour after Argentina's triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a trophy that had long been considered the one missing from the Argentine's cabinet.
Messi also holds the record for the most Ballon d'Or awards, having claimed the honour eight times. Yet a significant number of supporters remain firmly in Ronaldo's camp and show no signs of changing their position.
Messi settles GOAT debate
Legit.ng previously reported that Lionel Messi settled the GOAT debate with a telling video on his Instagram page in partnership with one of his sponsors.
The video printed a long receipt of some of the best moments of Messi’s career after the Argentina captain retired from international football.
Source: Legit.ng
