KUCHING: The debate over the “greatest of all time” in football shows no signs of slowing down.
As the conversation continues into 2025, football experts share their final thoughts on the enduring Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry in this exclusive piece for Sarawak Tribune.
Former Malaysian national goalkeeper Syed Adney Syed Hussein and football host Roshan Narayan shared their strong opinions, ultimately backing Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi.
Both experts agreed that Ronaldo’s unmatched work ethic and relentless pursuit of excellence across multiple leagues distinguish him from Messi, whose natural talent has always been apparent.
Roshan began by highlighting that Ronaldo’s success is a product of hard work, contrasting it with Messi’s innate ability.
“For me, Cristiano (Ronaldo), because he fought the system. Messi had the talent already; Ronaldo had to work for it,” Roshan explained.
Syed echoed this sentiment, acknowledging Messi’s extraordinary skill but stressing that Ronaldo’s accomplishments are a testament to his discipline.
“Messi could have eaten McDonald’s every day and still done the same thing he’s doing now. Ronaldo, on the other hand, had to take care of himself,”Syed quipped.
The conversation shifted to Ronaldo’s remarkable career at top clubs, including Manchester United FC, Real Madrid CF, Juventus FC and Sporting Lisbon.
Roshan was particularly impressed by Ronaldo’s achievements in Italy, where he became Juventus’ top scorer despite the perceived lower quality of defenders in Serie A.
“What he did at Juventus is unbelievable,” Roshan said, emphasising that even later in his career, Ronaldo continued to perform at the highest level.
Syed also pointed out that Ronaldo’s career has been marked by success wherever he went, contrasting it with Messi’s more stable yet less dynamic tenure at Barcelona and PSG.
“Wherever Ronaldo went, he was successful. Messi? He had a long time at Barcelona, then PSG, but PSG didn’t really work out,” Syed noted.
The discussion took a deeper turn as they touched on how Ronaldo’s accomplishments are sometimes overshadowed by Messi’s World Cup win.
While both experts respected Messi’s achievements, they argued that Ronaldo’s legacy extends far beyond individual titles.
“When people say Messi, Messi, Messi, I completely understand and respect that.
“But Ronaldo has consistently been successful, no matter where he played,”Syed remarked.
Roshan further argued that the focus on Messi’s World Cup victory ignores Ronaldo’s significant achievements, especially when he played in multiple competitive leagues and still delivered world-class performances year after year.
“There’s a lot of fear in saying Cristiano is the better player, but I will tell you, Cristiano is the better player,” Roshan said, quoting former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who has publicly stated his belief that Ronaldo surpasses Messi.
While the Messi versus Ronaldo debate will undoubtedly continue to stir passionate discussions, both experts agreed that both players have left an indelible mark on football.
Their rivalry will fuel debates for years to come, but for Syed and Roshan, Ronaldo’s work ethic and success in multiple leagues have secured his place as the true GOAT.
