Former Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger Prefers ‘Artist’ Leo Messi Ahead of ‘Athlete’ Ronaldo in GOAT Argument

Former Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger Prefers ‘Artist’ Leo Messi Ahead of ‘Athlete’ Ronaldo in GOAT Argument

Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:15 PM
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  • Ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger seems to prefer Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo in the unending debate on who is the better among the duo
  • The FIFA Chief of Global Football Development described the PSG star as an artist, which in his opinion is preferred by most followers of football
  • Wenger, who recently turned 73, remains the only manager to go a whole English Premier League season unbeaten, with his team earning the 'Invincible' tag for their remarkable achievement

Revered former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has weighed in on the never-ending Messi-Ronaldo debate.

Opinions have been sharply divided on Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi's argument with Wenger providing insightful analysis on the subject.

While the debate lingers, Leo Messi is currently enjoying a stellar campaign with Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 11 goals and 12 assists to his name in all competitions - a massive improvement on the back of a torrid first campaign in the French capital.

Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, PSG, Lionel Messi, GOAT
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger seems to prefer Lionel Messi ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, describing the PSG playmaker as an "artist". Photo credit: @ManUtd @Arsenal @PSG_inside
Source: Twitter

Meanwhile, his nemesis Ronaldo is enduring an underwhelming season at Manchester United, netting two goals in all competitions, as noted by Mirror.

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Despite suggesting that both players are completely different, the 73-year-old, currently serving as FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, appears to tilt his argument in favour of Messi.

"I often say that Cristiano Ronaldo is the athlete-footballer, and Lionel Messi, the exceptional artist, this is the difference between the two," Wenger told SoFoot in 2020 via Tribuna.
He continued: “Afterwards, everyone prefers one or the other. When we like the game, we prefer the artist. The creative makes you discover things that you do not see, that you have not even considered from the stands.
"It's [creative style] finer, even if I don't deny the quality of the Portuguese star. I just believe that football has evolved into the Ronaldo style. This does not mean that we should eliminate the creative. The rules must evolve to make the game more spectacular, more beautiful to see."

Chelsea players choose Messi over Ronaldo in GOAT debate

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that an online video has shown some Chelsea players being put to task by a Tiktok content creator to reveal who their greatest player of all time is.

The never-ending debate about who the GOAT is has dominated football headlines for more than a decade. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have elevated the standards of football rivalry and even as they approach the end of their careers, they still divide opinions.

However, a majority of Chelsea players settled on Messi as their preferred GOAT. In the video, @the3halls waits for the players and asks them for autographs. Afterwards, he asks them to choose between Messi and Ronaldo.

Authors
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe photo
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe is a Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and La Liga editor with five-year experience. He previously worked with Sports Corna and 360SportsGH.