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Legendary Indian cricketer Virat Kohli once picked Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi. The world remains split between the two superstars depending on their allegiance to the iconic duo.
The Portuguese ace currently plies his trade with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. The Argentinean magician, meanwhile, joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) expired.
In an interview with FIFA in 2019, Kohli put Ronaldo ahead of all superstars of the modern game, including Lionel Messi.
"I saw [Luis] Ronaldo, ‘The Phenomenon’ play and was totally blown away by his skill and ability on the ball. One of the greatest ever. Brazil was amazing to watch," said Kohli via Goal.
"[I have enjoyed watching] Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Oliver Kahn, Luka Modric, [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. For me, Cristiano is above everyone else. His commitment and work ethic is unmatched. He wants it that bad – you can see it every game," he added.
The star Indian batter also outlined why he prefers the Al-Nassr forward.
"In my opinion, he (Cristiano Ronaldo) has taken on more challenges and succeeded at all of them. He's the most complete player I have seen and his work ethic, as I mentioned, is unmatched. He inspires people. I don't think many people do that. He's also a leader and I love that. Absolutely love it. He has amazing belief too," said Kohli.
Ronaldo, 39, recently crossed the fabled 900-goal barrier in men's football, further justifying his place as one of the legends of the game.
Is the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate over?
Many would say Lionel Messi triumphed over Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT debate when he won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Argentine superstar was largely ridiculed for his inability to win trophies with La Albiceleste earlier in his career.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese great appeared to surge ahead in the debate after winning Euro 2016. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also lifted the UEFA Nations League trophy in 2019.
However, Messi managed to claw back into the debate by guiding Argentina to a historic Copa America win in 2021. A year later, the scores were even after the diminutive magician lifted the Finalissima with La Albiceleste.
However, the best was yet to come, with the 37-year-old powering his nation to a grand World Cup triumph in 2022. Lionel Messi has since added to his tally, winning his second Copa America title earlier this year.
