Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? When Eliud Kipchoge Settled the GOAT Debate

• Eliud Kipchoge is undoubtedly the greatest sportsperson in his discipline
• Kipchoge is a two-time Olympic champion and the marathon world record holder
• He has previously given his sentiments on the GOAT debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

That Eliud Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner the world has ever seen is not in question. No other man, dead or alive, has conquered the sport with such the grace and perfection that the Kenyan has over the years.

Kipchoge is a two-time Olympic winner and the reigning world record holder, having clocked a time of 2:01.09 at the Berlin marathon to shatter his own record that he had set in the same course four years prior.

He is also the only man to have run the 42-kilometre race under two hours when he used a time of 1:59.40 during a special race in Vienna in 2019.

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Football

In comparison, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the equivalents of Kipchoge as far as football is concerned. The two have dominated the sport for more than ten years, winning every top honour available to them.

With the successes that include a combined 12 Ballon d'Ors between them came the never-ending GOAT debate of who is better than the other. It is a debate that there will never be a right and wrong answer, with both sets of stars having their loyal supporters.

Kipchoge settles GOAT debate

Kipchoge previously insinuated that Ronaldo was the greatest player he had ever seen. The father of three revealed how he was impressed by the Portuguese's training regime despite his advanced age.

"Who is the greatest footballer in the world? Ronaldo is 35 years old. Just recently, when Juventus were going back to training, he reported four hours earlier than anyone else. He is still the best at 35 years. There is still a 19-year-old kid in Juventus who cannot match Ronaldo even with his age," said Kipchoge in a 2020 interview as captured by Capital Sports.

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Kipchoge will be back in action in September at the Berlin Marathon for the first time since losing the Boston Marathon in April, as reported by World Athletics.

Drogba calls the GOAT debate

Sports Brief has also reported that Didier Drogba is among a number of top-tier footballers who previously delved into the ever-divisive Cristiano Ronaldo versus Lionel Messi debate.

The argument over which of the two football superstars is the greatest of all time has consistently divided many across the sports spectrum.

However, for his part, Ivorian legend, Drogba chose Ronaldo when he was once asked who he believed the better player of the duo was. The former Chelsea striker claimed it was 'a known fact'