Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Silence on Messi's World Cup Glory: Does It End the GOAT Battle?
Cristiano Ronaldo has weighed in on the legendary GOAT discussion involving himself and Lionel Messi, with the Portuguese icon confidently supporting his own claim despite lacking a World Cup victory in his collection of honors.
The 40-year-old has been constantly compared to Messi throughout his professional journey. From exchanging Ballon d'Or honors and remarkable achievements to memorable El Clásico encounters, these two legends have dominated headlines well beyond their Spanish league days.
The Messi versus Ronaldo question has captivated the football community for almost twenty years, yet Ronaldo sees no argument; the Portuguese sensation believes he is "of course" the all-time greatest.
Ronaldo provided this confident two-word answer immediately when questioned by Piers Morgan during the second part of their exclusive interview. The Real Madrid icon then softened his bold statement somewhat, stating he is "one of the best for many people."
When Morgan pushed him to definitively declare himself "number one," Ronaldo replied, "Piers, I don't care about that anymore. I see so many things. I see so many interviews [about] what I think... if I say something now, the people are not going to be surprised.
"The story speaks for itself. They have opinions... It's O.K., no problem for me."
Ronaldo Minimizes Messi's World Cup Victory
Alongside Messi's eight Ballon d'Or trophies compared to Ronaldo's five, the Argentine's World Cup success forms the centerpiece of the GOAT discussion in football. The Inter Miami superstar guided La Albiceleste to World Cup victory in 2022, solidifying his position for many as the greatest player to ever step onto the pitch.
However, Ronaldo doesn't assign the same significance to Argentina's 2022 World Cup success.
"How many World Cups did Argentina win before Messi? Two times? This is normal. These countries are used to winning big competitions," Ronaldo stated.
The striker continued by explaining it's expected when nations with legendary histories of excellence, such as Argentina and Brazil, capture World Cup titles.
Ronaldo then pointed to Portugal as his example, highlighting that the nation had secured zero major titles before his arrival and now possess three trophies—one European Championship and two UEFA Nations League crowns.
Nevertheless, attention will focus on Ronaldo and Portugal during the 2026 World Cup to determine if the former Manchester United star can finally secure the one prize that has escaped him throughout his career.