Cristiano Ronaldo didn't hesitate when naming the greatest footballer he's seen play live

Cristiano Ronaldo had no doubt when asked to pick the best player that he has ever seen play live, but his answer may surprise some.

Having claimed five Ballon d'Ors while winning titles across three of the biggest leagues in Europe, Ronaldo is considered by many fans to be the greatest footballer of all time.

Across 1278 appearances for club and country, the Portuguese striker has scored 935 goals and assisted 257, leading to him holding the title of Real Madrid’s record goalscorer, finding the back of the net 450 strikes in 438 games.

His dominance in the sport in recent years has only be rivalled by one man, Lionel Messi, who has been compared to Ronaldo throughout both of their storied careers.

Like Ronaldo, Messi is a serial winner both as a team player and as an individual, boasting eight Ballon d'Or awards, a total that no other player has reached, while building a trophy cabinet including the likes of the Champions League and the World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have enjoyed perhaps the best rivalry in football history. (Image: Getty)

However, despite the rivalry he has shared with Messi during his career, Ronaldo reportedly swallowed his pride and admitted that the Barcelona legend is the best he's ever seen.

That's according to journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan, who claimed that the United star had nothing but good things to say about Messi when they shared a private conversation.

"I had a very interesting conversation with Cristiano, we had dinner after I first interviewed him three years ago, it was a really great conversation and I really like him as a person," Morgan said on talkSPORT in 2022.

"He was incredibly respectful about Messi and I said to him, 'Who's the best player you've ever seen?'

"He said, 'Messi, but you're asking the wrong question, you're not asking me who is the best player…', because, of course, he has never seen himself play live.

"So, that made me laugh.

Both Messi and Ronaldo are two of the most successful players of all time. (Image: Getty)

"But then he talked about the pair of them and the difference between them and a lot of the other greats, like R9 Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, George Best, Paul Gascoigne, he said the difference is the longevity he and Messi have had.

"Messi and Ronaldo have had 18 or 19 years at the very top of their game, and that's testament to their extraordinary dedication, their remarkable physical fitness and their rivalry, which has without any question driven the other to ever greater heights.

"I think it's been one of the great rivalries of any sport ever, so we're very lucky to have them."