Barca Boss Xavi Tells Ronaldo ‘Messi Does More Things’ When the United Star Declares Himself As GOAT

• The Messi-Ronaldo comparison has lingered even in the twilight of their careers, with opinions on who is the better among the two sharply divided
• Former Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo once boasted of being the best footballer in the world ever
• However, his self-assessment did not go down well with Barca boss, who argued Messi has more in his locker compared to Ronaldo

Just as iron sharpeneth iron, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have sharpened each other throughout their glittering careers, benefiting from the competitive edge of their rivalry.

In as much as the achievements in their careers might have reached dizzying heights, the question still beckons - who is the best among the duo?

Following Cristiano Ronaldo's fifth Ballon d'Or triumph, the bona fide Real Madrid legend boasted he is the best player in the history of the sport.

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"There's no more complete player than me. I'm the best player in history - in the good and the bad moments," the striker added.

However, current Barcelona manager Xavi did not agree with Ronaldo's self-assessment. In his estimation, Messi is the greatest of all time (GOAT) in football.

"Messi does more things compared to Cristiano," Xavi told Catalunya Radio as quoted by Tribuna. "If Cristiano considers himself the best player in history, that's fine, but those of us who see him train, there is no comparison.

"Messi is the best in history, and we don't see it any other way. I imagine all of the managers in the world going out to stop Messi," Xavi continued.

"Even if you do what Athletic Club did, man-mark him like in the Copa del Rey final, they still come out on top. He can't be defended against. Messi is the difference-maker and we always tried to give the ball to him in space with time to unbalance them.

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"Messi is the player that makes the most difference in the world. It's more than obvious," Xavi concluded.

Dani Alves showers praise on former Barcelona teammate Leo Messi, calls him 'alien'

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Dani Alves has added more nuance to the Messi-Ronaldo GOAT debate, describing the former Barcelona captain as 'alien.'

The Messi-Ronaldo debate on who is the greatest footballer of all time has seen both connoisseurs and football fans weigh in on the discussion with varying perspectives.

Ronaldo and Messi dominated European football for more than a decade, with the pair lifting a combined 12 Ballon d'Or awards over the course.