- Many famous managers have weighed in on the ongoing discussion between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Wenger and Mourinho won’t choose a favorite player because they both agree that both are great and among the best ever.
- The managers talk about the different things they like about Messi and Ronaldo. Messi is praised for his creativity and natural skill, while Ronaldo is admired for his speed and ability to score goals.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the best players of all time.
Who is the best?
In the past, many of the best managers in the world have weighed in on the argument. Alex Ferguson, Diego Simeone, and Jurgen Klopp are just a few famous teachers who have spoken out. Here is a list of 10 famous managers who have weighed in on the debate and said who they think is better.
Alex Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo
This isn’t that shocking, given that Ferguson took Ronaldo to Manchester United and managed him for six years. Back in 2016, he wrote about the differences between the two.
“Don’t get me wrong, Messi is a great player. But when he controls the ball, it’s like he’s wearing slippers,” he told Sports Illustrated in 2016. “But here is where I think things are different. Messi is a player for Barcelona. But Ronaldo could play for Stockport County and get a hat trick. He has a lot of things. He can shoot with both feet, head the ball, and is as brave as a cat.
Lionel Messi and Fabio Capello
Capello, who often said bad things about Ronaldo when he was at Juventus, chose Messi.
“To be an outsider is one thing, but to be a genius is another,” he told Marca, according to CalcioMercato. “The difference is huge, because a genius does things that no one could think of. Messi is a genius, but Ronaldo is a great football player.
Lionel Messi and Diego Simeone
In 2018, a WhatsApp video seemed to show that Simeone said Ronaldo was better than Messi. Soon after, he explained what he meant and said that his fellow countryman was better.
“If I had to pick between Messi and Ronaldo, I would probably go with Messi,” Simeone told reporters, according to Goal. “Yes, I did say [Ronaldo] on the tape, but I was talking with [Atleti assistant] German Burgos about football, like everyone else does. I didn’t talk about Messi and Ronaldo in terms of who is the best player in the world. I just meant that if you could sign one of them to a normal club with normal players, Ronaldo would probably fit in better. But Messi is better than Ronaldo because he plays with other great players.
Lionel Messi and Jurgen Klopp
Klopp made it clear at a Q&A in 2018 that he thought Messi was better. He said, “On my phone, I only have one picture. That’s with Messi. Also in the room was Cristiano Ronaldo…”
Zinedine Zidane vs. Cristiano Ronaldo
Zidane was Ronaldo’s manager for a long time, so it’s not too surprising that he chose the Portuguese star.
“The best is Cristiano. Messi is his foe, and everyone wants to see them play against each other,” the French player said. “But Ronaldo is an amazing player. I don’t know how to describe him. Even though I had a great career, he is much better than me. He’s the best there ever was.”
Jose Mourinho is neither
Mourinho said in 2013 that Ronaldo was the best. Three years later, he said that Messi was one of the three best players of all time, not Ronaldo. But in 2019, when he talked to BeIN Sports, Mourinho refused to pick a favorite team.
“I think it’s unfair to both of them when someone says that one is better than the other. “I just think they’re different,” he said. “I think it’s wrong to compare Messi and Ronaldo. The only thing I can say is that I was very happy when Ronaldo was on my team. And when I had to play against Messi or Ronaldo, which I did a few times, I had to think a lot about how to help my team win.
Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola
Guardiola was Messi’s coach at Barcelona for a long time. In 2016, he said that the Argentine was better than Ronaldo.
“Messi is the best, he is definitely the best,” he told ESPN. “He knows how to play, score, and get the other guys to play. He is there all the time. Even though I value all the players, especially Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the award, I think Messi is on a different level.
Lionel Messi and Joachim Low
In 2018, the question was asked to the boss who won the World Cup, and he chose Messi.
“I would stick with Messi,” Low told Bild, according to The Sun. “Cristiano Ronaldo is amazing, a very good professional, and has been an incredible goalscoring machine for many years, but Messi is the most complete player I have seen.” He works well with others. In the last 10 years, he has scored about 50 goals and given 30–40 helpers. He can leave behind eight or nine players, and his goals are always remembered.”
No one asked Arsene Wenger or Jose Mourinho who they thought was better in 2019. Wenger doesn’t like to compare them, but he did say that Messi would make managers more interested.
He said, “I think they’re both so good that it’s hard to choose between them. Five of the ten footballers of the year are tied, so that shows they’re really on the same level.” Messi is a good artist and can also pass the ball, so he might be more creative than Ronaldo. Ronaldo is better at finishing, better in the air, and more athletic. Messi, on the other hand, is more creative. So basically, a guy like Messi always makes you want to do something a little bit more.”
Vicente Del Bosque and Lionel Messi
Del Bosque, who was the boss of Real Madrid and won the World Cup, chose Messi.
“He [Messi] almost always plays well,” he told Mundo Deportivo, as quoted by Goal. “There are people who never make a mistake. His consistency is very good. He plays very well. I’m going to stay with Messi. I think he is a better soccer player because he played with his friends in the neighborhood. Even so, Cristiano has a lot of guts and has the skills and body to be a great scorer, but I’m sticking with Messi.
Final Result:
Great coaches who weighed in on the argument between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi | Vote |
Alex Ferguson | Cristiano Ronaldo |
Fabio Capello | Lionel Messi |
Diego Simeone | Lionel Messi |
Jurgen Klopp | Lionel Messi |
Zinedine Zidane | Cristiano Ronaldo |
Jose Mourinh | didn’t want to pick |
Pep Guardiola | Lionel Messi |
Arsene Wenger | didn’t want to pick |
Vicente del Bosque | Lionel Messi |
Most of the great coaches on the list above chose Messi over Ronaldo. But Wenger and Mourinho said it best, in our opinion. Both are great football players who will be remembered as two of the best ever.
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