The GOAT debate of who is best between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continues to rage on - and a former teammate of both players has had his say on the argument.
Angel Di Maria is in the unique situation of having played with both Ronaldo and Messi throughout his playing career.
Di Maria played with Ronaldo at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2014, before the Argentine moved to Manchester United in what proved to be a disastrous move in the summer of 2014.
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Di Maria played alongside Messi for the Argentine national team, winning two Copa America titles and the World Cup, as well as a season at Paris Saint Germain.
Di Maria retired from international duty this year after winning the 2024 Copa America, having scored 31 goals in 145 caps for his country.
Messi and Ronaldo are rightly regarded by many as two of, if not the, greatest players of all time, with their career statistics and achievements speaking for themselves.
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Messi has eight Ballon d'Or crowns to his name 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.
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, and is now at Inter Miami following a spell at PSG.
Ronaldo won five Ballon d'Ors 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.
Messi shared the international honours won by Di Maria, while Ronaldo won the European Championship and UEFA Nations League with Portugal.
Di Maria is therefore in a very unique position, having been a team-mate with both players, to have a say on who is the better player.
And the attacker pointed to the superior Ballon d'Or record of Messi when it came to choosing the best, as he sided with his now former Argentina team-mate, ahead of his former companion in the Spanish capital.
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He said: "At the end of the day, the best player is the one with the most Ballon d'Or awards, and Leo has eight.
"So for me, there's a certain gap between him and Cristiano."
Topics: Angel Di Maria, Argentina, Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Manchester United, Portugal, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain
John McDougall