Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? When Arsenal hero Theo Walcott made his pick

Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott was undoubtedly one of the most exciting forwards in the Premier League during his prime years. A regular fixture for England as well, Walcott revealed that he would have preferred to play alongside Lionel Messi rather than Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2015.

When the then 26-year-old Walcott was asked by the YouTube channel Spencer FC to choose between Ronaldo and Messi, he certainly took his time to consider the question. He ultimately chose Messi, explaining that Messi's playmaking ability with his left foot would complement his own style of play.

“I’d probably go Messi. As he’s left-footed, he’s got that sort of shape to give the ball for my runs in behind. That would suit my play style better than Ronaldo," Walcott said.

Walcott was signed by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger from Southampton for an initial fee of up to £5 million back in 2006 when he was just 17. Although injuries took their toll on him, he still had a memorable 12-year spell with Arsenal, making 397 appearances and scoring 108 goals.

The English forward moved to Everton in 2018 before returning to his boyhood club, Southampton, where he made 59 appearances over three seasons before announcing his retirement at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Walcott also etched his name in the England men’s team history books when he made his debut for his country at 17, becoming the youngest player to represent the country. Overall, he featured 47 times for the Three Lions, scoring eight goals.

Theo Walcott feels Arsenal are well-prepared to win the Premier League title

Since retiring last year, Walcott has remained involved with Arsenal off the pitch, even traveling with the squad for their pre-season tour in the United States.

Walcott believes that Mikel Arteta’s side are finally poised to win the Premier League trophy, stating that the team is well-equipped and eager to snatch the crown away from Manchester City. He said (via GOAL):

“I was with them in pre-season. I’ve seen how structured they are as a unit and, mentally, the way Mikel has hammered his team. I feel like it’s going to be third time lucky. I feel like they want it more and they are ready."

"I just feel like they’re more equipped as a structure. They’ve learned a lot. They have got a few more experienced players that know the hurt and I just feel like this year could well be their year."

Arsenal will next be in Premier League action against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, August 24. They will then face Brighton & Hove Albion on August 31.