Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been at loggerheads with Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo for close to two decades, with them winning a combined 13 Ballon d’Or awards. As a result, both players are frequently in conversations about being the greatest of all time (GOAT).
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has recently weighed in on the long-standing GOAT debate.
Alan Smith Backs Lionel Messi Over Cristiano Ronaldo for GOAT
During a recent interaction with Bolavip, Smith was asked whether Messi and Ronaldo’s displays at the 2026 FIFA World Cup would change public perception of their careers.
“(In games) where Argentina were a little flat, nothing was happening… Messi just changed it entirely. It just looked like he was made to end up a winner and be the star. Ronaldo has been scoring fun in Saudi Arabia but, I think they’ll both see this as their last tournament… so they’ll be very keen to go out with a bang,” the 63-year-old responded.
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Smith also claimed that the Inter Miami icon and Al-Nassr legend are the two best players in the history of the sport, highlighting both players’ longevity.
“They will be rated as the best two players of all time… partly because of how long they’ve lasted, quite amazing. You can look at a lot of players like (Diego) Maradona… I mean, Pele lasted a long time obviously, but a lot of top players haven’t gone for as long as Messi and Ronaldo, and for that reason, you know, I think they are the top two,” Smith said.
Asked if he has a preference between the two legends, Smith replied, “I’d probably just go for Messi. Well, he’s a world champion obviously… but, maybe he thinks about the team a little more than Ronaldo does at times. Hasn’t quite got that ego, obviously has got an ego, but yeah, he’s just such an amazing player to watch. But they are both fantastic.”
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Both Messi and Ronaldo are set to compete in their sixth FIFA World Cup in June this year. While the former will be keen to help Argentina defend their world crown in North America, the latter will be hoping to hand Portugal their first-ever World Cup win.
The pair are currently preparing for the upcoming tournament at Inter Miami and Al-Nassr. The Barcelona great featured in Miami’s 2026 MLS opening match last Saturday, while the Real Madrid icon has returned from his short-lived strike at Al-Nassr this month.
