Former Chelsea Star Settles Messi vs Ronaldo GOAT Debate After Argentina Legend Retires
- Former Chelsea winger Willian weighed in on the Messi vs Ronaldo debate after the Argentine played his final international game
- Messi ended his Argentina career in emotional fashion, converting a penalty and registering two assists in a 3-0 win over Benin
- Willian made his preference clear on The Obi One podcast, hosted by former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel
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Former Chelsea winger Willian has come down on Lionel Messi's side of the long-running debate over who is the better player between him and Cristiano Ronaldo, speaking out just before Messi brought the curtain down on his Argentina career.
The Brazilian made the admission on The Obi One podcast, hosted by former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, when pressed to choose between the two icons.
Source: Getty Images
"This one is hard because I love them both," Willian told The Obi One podcast.
"They are not from this planet, they're from another one. But my type of play, I think I prefer Messi, but I love both."
Messi bows out in Buenos Aires
The comments came shortly before Messi played his 208th and final game for Argentina, a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old converted a second-half penalty and provided two assists on an occasion made even more poignant by the recent death of his father, Jorge, who passed away aged 68 following a long illness, BBC Sport reports.
Messi had announced his retirement from international football in August, making the Benin fixture his farewell appearance.
His Argentina journey began in 2005 as a 63rd-minute substitute against Hungary, though it got off to a rocky start when he was shown a straight red card less than a minute into his debut after catching a full-back with his elbow.
What followed, however, was one of the most decorated international careers the sport has ever seen, crowned by World Cup glory in 2022 and two Copa América titles.
How Messi and Ronaldo stats compare
The rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo remains one of the most debated in sporting history, and the career numbers underline why neither man has a clear-cut claim to superiority.
According to Squawka, Ronaldo leads in total appearances (1,333 to 1,175), goals (979 to 929), and hat-tricks (66 to 60), and has won five UEFA Champions League titles compared to Messi's four.
The Portugal captain also edges Messi on penalty goals, having scored 184 from the spot against Messi's 114.
Messi, however, holds the advantage in assists (463 to 307), total goal contributions (1,392 to 1,286), and goals per game (0.79 to 0.73).
He also holds eight Ballon d'Or awards to Ronaldo's five, six European Golden Shoes to Ronaldo's four, and has accumulated 48 team trophies across his club and international career, compared to 36 for the Portuguese star.
The World Cup, which eluded Ronaldo throughout his career, remains the most significant gap between them at international level.
Why Messi was given yellow and red cards
Legit.ng previously reported about Messi’s final appearance for Argentina, where he scored once and set up two goals in a 3-0 win over Benin.
The referee’s farewell gift included a red card, echoing Messi’s first Argentina appearance in 2005, when he was sent off.
Source: Legit.ng
