We've heard every debate about who's better; Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? And to be honest, who the fuck actually cares? They're both great footballers who aren't quite as good as Francesco Totti, just enjoy them both and get on with it.
However, Gary Neville has put another spin on the argument, by explaining as to why his former teammate Ronaldo will outlast his Argentinean counterpart.
Neville spent six years alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford between 2003-2009, winning three Premier League titles, a Champions League, an FA Cup and two League Cups during that period and the former United skipper believes the man who used to be adorned in the number seven shirt at the Theatre of Dreams will keep going for many more years to come.
Neville and Ronaldo enjoyed six glittering years together at Old Trafford. Image: PA
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Speaking to Sky Sports, the Monday Night Football pundit explained his thought process.
"I wonder if he's building up for a long career as a centre forward, where his running doesn't have to be 11km, 12km per match, it can be 7km, 8km, 9km, where he can still score two goals and live off moments.
"He's living off moments more than his all-round performance now.
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"When he was at United, between 2006 and 2008, I still maintain that's his best two football years as a football player, in terms of his contribution through the whole game.
"Since he's gone to Real Madrid he's contributed enormously to everything they've done but he's living more off moments rather than a contribution through a whole 90 minutes.
Once a show pony, Ronaldo has evolved into the finest thoroughbred to ever play the game. Image: PA
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"He'll be thinking Pele. Those numbers. Those scandalous numbers you think you can never achieve, the appearances, the goals, and that to me is where it's going.
"I think he'll play for longer than Lionel Messi, I think he'll score more goals in the end and will go on to do incredible things.
"I think he'll go on for a long, long time. And in this game, he's becoming a goal-scorer, he's getting in the box more, he's coming across the near post, his heading is incredible anyway.
We're seeing Cristiano now as a centre-forward.
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"He knows he can't go up and down all the time now. He knows he can't go past players all the time. He'll become a goalscorer, a poacher and a good one."
A future goal poacher? Gary Neville seems to think so. Image: PA
Ronaldo hit yet another hat-trick last night, during Real Madrid's 4-2 Champions League quarter-final second leg victory over Bayern Munich. In doing so, the Portugal captain helped himself to his 100th Champions League goal, becoming the first ever player to achieve the feat.
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Do you agree with Neville's analysis of Ronaldo and will the Real Madrid phenom outlast Lionel Messi?
Have your say in the comments sections on here and Facebook.
(H/T Metro)
Topics: Football, Gary Neville, Cristiano Ronaldo