Jose Mourinho gave a brilliant response to the age-old Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo debate.
For many years, Messi and Ronaldo have been battling each other at the top level.
Their battle was at its scintillating best when Messi was playing Barcelona and Ronaldo was representing bitter rivals Real Madrid.
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Since Messi clinched the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Argentina, many fans felt he has cemented himself as the undisputed GOAT of football. But Ronaldo fans will always have something to say about that.
Back in 2019, Mourinho chose to praise both rather than pick one.
He said to ‘On the Touchline with Jose Mourinho’: “I think they are lucky and unlucky to be in the same generation. They are lucky because they can compete against each other.
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“They look to each other in a positive way and get extra motivation. If there was only one of them, they would have ten Golden Boots.”
Mourinho continued: “Now, I think they have put the bar really high. And you have the players coming behind, who I like to call the 'little monsters.'
“The bar has to be high, so it has to be incredible motivation for Neymar, [Kylian] Mbappé and [Antoine] Griezmann. Unfortunately, Cristiano and Messi will not last forever.”
According to Corriere dello Sport, via Sportskeeda, Mourinho believes Brazil superstar Ronaldo Nazario is the best player to ever grace a football pitch.
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He said: “Ronaldo [Nazario], ‘El Fenomeno'. Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi have had longer careers. They have remained at the top every day for 15 years. However, if we are talking strictly about talent and skill, nobody surpasses Ronaldo.
“When he was at Barcelona with Bobby Robson, I realised that he was the best player I'd ever seen take to the field. Injuries killed a career that could have been even more incredible, but the talent that that 19-year-old boy had was something incredible.”
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Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Jose Mourinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Football