Ronaldo Snubbed by Ex-Manchester United Teammate in GOAT Debate With Messi

• Kieran Richardson has insisted, that Lionel Messi is a better player than Cristiano Ronaldo
• According to the Englishman, Messi's World Cup win was the separating factor between the two
• Richardson played alongside Ronaldo at insistedManchester United 40 times in his career

Former Manchester United midfielder, Kieran Richardson, has become the latest football personality to join the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) debate on who is the best player between Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi and Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo and Messi have often been pitted against one another in the so-called ‘GOAT debate’ to determine the best player in the history of the sport.

Messi has also silenced his harshest critics on the international stage after his triumphs with Argentina at the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup.

As soon as the Argentine phenomenon lifted the World Cup in Qatar just before Christmas, the argument was finished in the eyes of many football fans, including Richardson.

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According to the Englishman, winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup allowed Messi to pull ahead of Ronaldo and emerge as the undisputed best player in history.

Speaking on The Steven Sulley Study podcast, via Sportskeeda, Richardson said:

“They are both the GOATs, but, if I had to pick one, then I have to pick Messi, even though I know Ronaldo, I have played with Ronaldo, and I love Ronaldo.

“They are both amazing; they are both GOATs. When they pass away, they will still be talked about forever, but just because Messi got that World Cup.”

“It is a massive thing having that World Cup, because even before Messi had the World Cup, everyone was saying: ‘yeah, but he has not won it yet. He can’t be the best of all time because [Diego] Maradona won it; Pele won it’.

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“Now there is no question; he has won the pinnacle any footballer would want to win.”

Richardson played 40 games alongside Ronaldo before leaving the Red Devils in 2009, having enjoyed immense success under Sir Alex Ferguson, Daily Mail has reported.

He played 81 times for Manchester United after making his way through their academy.

Ancelotti rejects Messi GOAT claim

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has refused to acknowledge Messi as the best player of all time, Sports Brief reported.

The Argentine captain is thought to have put the GOAT debate to rest after he led his country to World Cup glory on December 18 in Qatar.

However, the Los Blancos chief mentioned three other players he thinks are better than the 35-year-old forward.

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