The ex-Chelsea star has waded into the eternal debate in football....CONTINUE READING
Ex-Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi is the latest football star to wade into the unending argument in football. In a radio interview, Mikel was asked to choose the best player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the greatest players in modern-day history.
For over 15 years, Messi and Ronaldo have had a friendly but competitive rivalry, with both players winning more individual awards than any other player in this time frame.
The two stars have a combined 12 Ballon d’Or awards, with Messi leading the way with seven. They have also played a leading role in ensuring their respective teams win the biggest club competition in the world, the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo was a key figure in the Madrid team that won three consecutive Champions League titles, while Messi also led Barcelona to the title in 2011 and 2015.
With the two players enjoying more than a decade of dominance, there has been an argument on who is better between the two.
Mikel has now waded into the debate, with the former Super Eagles captain choosing the PSG star ahead of the Manchester United attacker.
When asked who he thinks he is the best amongst the two, the ex-Stoke city man said, “Messi”. Mikel did not reveal his reason for picking Messi, but the ex-Nigerian international came up against the Argentine at both the youth and national team levels.
The two first crossed paths at the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2005 before meeting again at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Mikel also played against Messi during his time at Chelsea. Although he also faced Ronaldo, it was only on a few occasions in the Premier League.
