Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Guardiola Draws Comparison With Erling Haaland After Stunning Bicycle Kick

• Pep Guardiola revealed that Erling Haaland was on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
• Haaland scored two goals, one of them a beautiful bicycle kick, as Manchester City beat Southampton
• Guardiola, however, went a step further to reveal who his favourite player was between the two GOATs

Erling Haaland continued to cement his status as one of the most lethal strikers in world football after he scored a stunning bicycle kick against Southampton on April 8th.

The acrobatic effort was one of the two goals he scored as Manchester City romped to a 4-1 victory over the Saints to keep up the pressure on Arsenal.

It was his 30th goal of the Premier League campaign, two less than Mohammed Salah's record, with 9 games left. And just in case you had forgotten, it is his maiden season in England.

Arsenal star settles never-ending GOAT debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

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It is these astronomical levels that have so often seen him compared to the greats who came before him - Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. There is a feeling that if the Norwegian keeps scoring with the same frequency he is using right now, he might be able to match the two GOATs.

Speaking after the game, Pep Guardiola once again waded into the discussion on where his elite striker ranks among the best of this generation.

"We have lived two incredible decades with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but he is on that level. The second goal was amazing. It is not easy to pick the ball up in the sky and put it on the grass," as quoted by BBC Sport.

Guardiola on GOAT debate

Haaland 'ready' for Man City return at Southampton

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Guardiola, however, put Messi a level higher than Ronaldo and Haaland, calling the Paris Saint Germain forward 'a complete player.' Guardiola worked with Messi at Barcelona.

Focus will now shift to the Champions League with a double-legged toe against Thomas Tuchel's Bayern Munich. While at Chelsea, Tuchel beat Manchester City in the 2021 final.

Messi surpasses Ronaldo's tally

Sports Brief has also reported that Lionel Messi has officially become the most prolific footballer across Europe's top five leagues, following his recent strike against OGC Nice.

The 35-year-old broke the deadlock for Paris Saint-Germain against Nice on Saturday night at the Allianz Riviera, and in the process, reached another historic accomplishment.

With the neat finish on the road, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is now the all-time leading scorer in Europe with 702 goals, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo.