Featured Image Credit: GOAL
Topics: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cole Palmer, Ballon d'Or
John McDougall
Topics: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cole Palmer, Ballon d'Or
The debate of who is football's GOAT between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is an intriguing one which will likely rage on forever - but Chelsea's Cole Palmer has made it clear which side of the argument he is on.
Both players are in the closing stages of their playing careers but have lit up the pitch and been the best two players of the past 15 years.
Messi has won the Ballon d'Or eight times after coming through the youth team ranks at Barcelona and during his time with the Catalan club, won multiple honours as he created a legacy which many regard as being the greatest of all time.
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He also scored an extraordinary 672 goals in 778 games at the Camp Nou side, winning 10 La Liga titles and the Champions League on four occasions.
The forward departed Barca in 2021 and went on to spend two seasons in France with Paris Saint-Germain, before moving to the MLS and Inter Miami last summer.
Ronaldo is the other contender meanwhile and has five Ballon d'Ors to his name following a playing career which has seen him represent Sporting CP, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United on two occasions, and is now with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
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The 39-year-old has won league titles in England, Spain and Italy, as well as five Champions League crowns during his time at Old Trafford and the Santiago Bernabeu.
Both players have claimed silverware with their countries, with Ronaldo winning the European Championships and UEFA Nations League with Portugal, while Messi has won the World Cup and two Copa America titles.
The argument over which of these two players is football's true GOAT continues to divide those involved in the game as well as supporters, and now Chelsea attacker Palmer, who scored 25 goals for the Stamford Bridge side after moving from Manchester City, has offered his own view on the debate.
Palmer undertook a knockout with GOAL, as you can see above, where he named Kevin De Bruyne as the best player he has played with, Messi as who he wanted to be when he was growing up, Kylian Mbappe as the current best player in the world, and Wayne Rooney as the best English player of all time.
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Palmer also picked himself as the one to take a penalty if his life depended on it, Toni Kroos as the best passer, Neymar as the best dribbler, and CR7 as football's best all-time finisher.
Palmer then went on to do a knockout between the eight players he named, and when it came down to choosing between Messi and Ronaldo at the end, the England star opted for the Argentine.