Sir Alex Ferguson settled the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate with perfect answer

Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson has explained exactly why he thinks there is a clear winner in the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate.

Across all sports, fans love to debate who the best to ever do it could be with icons such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady compared with their peers.

In football, it is widely accepted that one of Barcelona great Messi or United and Real Madrid legend Ronaldo is the greatest of all time, with compelling arguments for both men.

However, Premier League legend Ferguson thinks that there is one clear reason why his personal pick stands out from his rival.

At United, Ronaldo played under Ferguson, making 291 appearances across all competitions, scoring 118 goals and winning nine trophies with the Scotsman.

The Portuguese striker went on to achieve greatness at several other clubs during his career, while Messi spent the majority of his prime years with Barcelona, where he made 778 appearances, scoring 672 goals and winning an incredible 35 trophies.

But Ferguson remains adamant that his former star stands out from Messi for one specific reason.

Speaking back in 2015, as per the Manchester Evening News, the United legend said: "People say who is the best player in the world? And plenty of people quite rightly say Messi - you can't dispute that opinion.

"But Ronaldo could play for Millwall, Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster Rovers, anyone, and score a hat-trick in a game.

"I'm not sure Messi could do it. Ronaldo's got two feet, he's quick, great in the air, he's brave - Messi's brave, of course. I think Messi's a Barcelona player."

Cristiano Ronaldo spent much of the early years of his career under Sir Alex Ferguson. (Image: Getty)

Ronaldo's ability to win titles and score goals across three of the top leagues in Europe is one of the key arguments made by fans who believe he is the GOAT.

In La Liga, the legendary striker scored an incredible 311 goals in 292 appearances for Real Madrid before later scoring 81 goals in 98 appearances for Juventus in Serie A.

On the other hand, Messi fans would argue that the Argentine's eight Ballon d'Or awards, more than any other player, prove he's the greatest of all time.

The winger further added to the argument that he is the GOAT after he captained Argentina to glory in the World Cup back in 2022, lifting a trophy that Ronaldo is yet to ever win.