Ex-Real Madrid Star Chooses Lionel Messi Over Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Real Madrid player, Julio Baptista, has argued that ex-FC Barcelona star, Lionel Messi is greater than his career rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Julio Baptista, who left Real Madrid in 2008, a year before Cristiano Ronaldo made his record-breaking move to the Spanish giants, agreed that both the Portuguese icon and Lionel Messi are the greatest players in the game in the last 20 years.

However, the 42-year-old former Brazil international believes that Messi is “slightly” better than Ronaldo.

Note that in the last 15 years, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been competing against each other in terms of stats and achievements. But the 36-year-old Messi landed his biggest edge over 39-year-old Ronaldo when he led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

That achievement and the fact that Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Ors, while Ronaldo has five, have made many conclude that the Argentina international is the greatest footballer of all time.

Forbes reported that Julio Baptista told Oddspedia in an interview that while Ronaldo is “unbelievable” Messi is a “genius”.

Baptista said, “Both Lionel and Cristiano Ronaldo are incredible players. But I would rate Messi slightly higher. I think because they both played in the same league for Real Madrid and Barcelona, it created an incredible rivalry.

“There was so much expectation of them and they have both delivered. Ronaldo is unbelievable but Messi is a genius, winning the Ballon d’Or eight times says it all.

“They are the best players of the last 20 years and probably in the history of football.”