Argentina great Angel Di Maria is one of the players to have played alongside both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. And, the Rosario Central winger has revealed the aspect in which the former is better than the latter, who is deemed the best by him.
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During a recent interaction with AS, former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Di Maria was asked if he was impressed by Ronaldo’s work ethic at Los Merengues.
“Yes. In terms of professionalism, Cristiano is number one by far. His work ethic, his ability to maintain his level, his constant effort to be the best while competing with Leo was truly commendable… but he coincided with Messi’s era, which significantly complicated his goal,” Di Maria, who shared the pitch with Ronaldo 166 times at Real Madrid, responded.
Despite suggesting the Al-Nassr striker is ahead of his former Argentina teammate in terms of industriousness, Di Maria disclosed why Messi is the greatest player of all time.
“Cristiano was all about hard work and his effort to be number one in the world, but Messi, drinking mate (South American herbal tea) in the locker room, later showed that he had a gift from God to be the best,” the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner commented.
Di Maria, who will turn 38 next month, played alongside the Inter Miami forward 141 times for Argentina, PSG, and Argentina’s 2008 Olympic side. He witnessed the eight-time Ballon d’Or award winner’s abilities in person, lifting numerous trophies in the process.
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Asked if he is still keen to play in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup like the aforesaid pair, the former Manchester United star clarified that his international career is in the past.
“It’s not that I don’t want to… it’s that I’ve completed my cycle. I’ve achieved everything I wanted. A young generation is coming up behind me, and I think it was time to call it quits. After the Qatar World Cup, I had already made the decision, and the guys convinced me to play in the last Copa America. It ended like a dream,” Di Maria responded.
Di Maria, who helped Argentina win two Copa America trophies before retiring in 2024, has been playing for Rosario Central since last July. The 37-year-old has registered eight goals and three assists in 17 total games for his boyhood club in his second stint.
