Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: When Brazil Legend Kaka Settled the GOAT Debate

• Former AC Milan and Brazil playmaker Ricardo Kaka has had his say on the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate
• Kaka highlighted the positives of both players, who have dominated the football scene for over a decade and a half
• Despite Messi inspiring Argentina to World Cup success, a cross-section of fans still believe he falls behind Ronaldo

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been compared as the greatest players in football history throughout their careers - but which one is the true GOAT?

Ronaldo and Messi have broken, rewritten, and set enough records to practically last a lifetime in their illustrious careers, some of which may never be matched.

Their remarkable achievements birthed the never-ending debate on who is the better among the two football icons, which continues to divide opinions among enthusiasts, including pundits, players, and fans.

Throwback video shows how 19-year-old Leo Messi boldly predicted he will be a "world champion"

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According to Eurosport, the veteran football stars share a staggering 12 Ballon d'Or awards among them.

Kaka's opinion on GOAT debate

Kaka, who won the 2007 Ballon d'Or prize ahead of the GOAT duo, once described Messi as a genius while commending Ronaldo for his mentality.

“I will separate [Messi and Ronaldo] like this: one is genius, and the other has a very strong mentality," he said as quoted by Sportskeeda.

When pressed to make a choice between the Portuguese phenomenon and the Argentine maestro, Kaka opted for the former.

"Now, if you ask me who I want for my team, I would choose Cristiano. The chance of his failure is very small. He is very determined and focused.”

Mbappe changes his GOAT stance

Messi gifts gold iPhones to all of Argentina's World Cup-winning team and staff

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While Kaka prefers Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe appeared to change his tune on who football's greatest of all time is between Messi and Ronaldo.

The debate on who is the better player between the two football icons remains divided among fans, pundits, and even footballers themselves.

The Paris Saint-Germain ace appears to have changed his stance after FIFA's The Best Awards last month, Sports Brief previously reported.

Ramos chooses between Ronaldo, Messi

In a related article, Sports Brief reported on PSG defender, Sergio Ramos delving into the GOAT debate.

The argument on who the better footballer of all time is has often left many football lovers divided.

After playing against Messi for over 15 years, Ramos has now admitted the Argentine is the best player.