Gary Lineker didn't hesitate when asked to choose between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Gary Lineker has settled the GOAT debate after choosing between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Over the years, Messi and Ronaldo have been battling at the top of the game, with both playing for some of the biggest clubs in world football.

In recent years, Messi appeared to have been named as the undisputed GOAT of football after inspiring Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, Ronaldo fans will also take side with their man and argue that the Portuguese is the better player.

Back in 2020, former Barcelona and England striker Lineker was asked by TNT Sports to choose between Messi and Ronaldo.

He replied: "(Lionel) Messi is the greatest player, he has the better all round game. (Cristiano) Ronaldo is certainly a great player, one of the greatest goal scorers that's ever lived and certainly one of the best footballers that's ever lived.

"But Messi is probably the best passer I've ever seen, the best dribbler I've ever seen and his numbers in terms of goals are right up there with the vert best. So, for me, it's Lionel Messi."

In 2019, Lineker told talkSPORT: "Messi is just phenomenal. He’s 31 now (Messi is now 35) and he’s still going strong. He plays the game in a way the rest of us are not familiar with. I watch a lot of football, and people pine on this whole Messi vs Ronaldo debate; there’s no comparison for me.

"Messi is on a different level to everybody else, it’s as simple as that. People say to me ‘What about Ronaldo’s goalscoring record and so forth?’"

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He added: "But I say to them have you seen Messi pass a football? Have you seen him dribble towards goal?"

Over the last year or so, both Ronaldo and Messi left European football behind with the Portuguese signing for Saudi Professional League side Al Nassr and the Argentine moving to the United States of America to play for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.