Rodri didn't hesitate when choosing between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in GOAT debate

Manchester City star Rodri didn't hesistate when choosing between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the football GOAT debate.

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated world football for much of the past 20 years, with their era only now coming to an end at the ages of 37 and 39 respectively.

Both players are still recording incredible attacking numbers though, with Al Nassr star Ronaldo being the world's top goalscorer in selected major leagues for 2023.

Messi, meanwhile, has registered 20 goals and 18 assists in just 21 MLS games for Inter Miami this season, helping them to win the Supporters' Shield for the best-performing regular season team for the first time in the club's history.

But the GOAT debate largely centres around their times at Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Messi and Ronaldo's careers intertwining in La Liga between 2009 and 2018.

Rodri had experience of playing against both with Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, with his move to City in 2019 occurring a year after Ronaldo left Real to join Juventus.

And speaking in an interview with France Football, newly-crowned 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri was in no doubt when selecting which of the two football icons he preferred.

He said: "When I look at the amazing list of Ballon d'Or winners, I have to talk about Messi.

"He's won eight times and honestly I don't know if he even realises it. He's the best player in history."

It was reported that Messi texted Rodri a congratulatory message after the Ballon d'Or ceremony, which he won over Real pair Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham - although the Spaniard has since revealed he did not receive a message from any former Ballon d'Or winners.

Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023 - Getty

Los Blancos boycotted the award ceremony entirely after feeling 'disrespected' by France Football organisers, having been convinced that Vinicius would win.

Relevo claimed that the Brazilian had even held a party to celebrate his achievement and planned to give expensive gifts to his team-mates, but 'leaked' confirmation of the result hours before the ceremony quickly put a stop to those plans.

On Real's decision to boycott the ceremony, Rodri said: "Would I have preferred everyone to be present? Of course I would have. The second, third, fourth etc were missing. We want all the best players on the planet to be present on a night like this.

"I have to respect everyone's decision. Although I wouldn't have acted in the same way. But they do what they want.

"Honestly [any bitterness towards them]? No, not at all. It was my time. Above all, I wanted to take care of my loved ones who were there, not those who were absent."

Rodri has been out of action since September with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, but the Ballon d'Or award is only based off performances in the calendar year between August 1 and July 31.