Marcus Rashford admitted that it was “difficult” to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the battle of the game’s greatest—so difficult, in fact, that he refused to come to a definitive conclusion.
As a current Barcelona player who came through Manchester United’s academy idolizing and then eventually playing alongside Ronaldo, Rashford is straddling both sides of the ultimate debate.
The England international had the question of who is the greatest of all time put to him by ESPN, and plopped himself firmly on the fence. “I think it’s Messi and Ronaldo,” Rashford said with an uneasy smile creeping across his lips. “It’s difficult.”
In a quick-fire round of questions before coming to that unsettled conclusion, Rashford offered praise to both players. Ronaldo earned the status of “best finisher of all time” while Messi was deemed to be the “best playmaker.”
There was no doubt in Rashford’s mind that Messi ranked as “the greatest La Liga player of all time” but when the pool was opened up to events outside the Spanish top flight, he refused to overlook Ronaldo.
Rashford has previously hailed the Portuguese icon as his inspiration. “When Cristiano Ronaldo came to United, he was the one who everyone looked up to,” the boyhood Red Devils fan revealed shortly after breaking into the first team.
“The thing that impressed me the most was the fact he was only young when he came into the side and he wanted to be the best player in the side. He worked hard every single day, you saw him in the gym every single day and the results came on the pitch. He openly wanted to be the best player in the world.
“You have to have an approach like that—all the best players in the world do. It’s not arrogance or anything like that, it’s the mindset you need to achieve things.”
The Pressure Barcelona Inflict on Players in the GOAT Debate
There’s no suggestion that a member of Barcelona’s media department were looming menacingly behind the camera during Rashford’s interview. However, ex-Blaugrana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng claims that there is an obvious pressure exerted by the club.
The outspoken retired playmaker told Rio Ferdinand’s podcast back in 2023: “I remember that when I arrived in Barcelona they immediately asked me who the best player in the world was. I had to say it was Lionel Messi, I lied. It was one of the biggest lies of my life.
“Normally I always tell the truth, but I lied because it was the only way to wear the Barcelona shirt. I always supported Real Madrid when I was a teenager. I love Cristiano Ronaldo. But they told me I had to say that, otherwise I wouldn’t play.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Marcus Rashford Squirms Over Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT Question.
