Piers Morgan exchanged in some light-hearted back and forth with Sky Sports veteran Jeff Stelling on Tuesday night over his belief that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player of all time.
For just shy of two decades, Ronaldo has been viewed as one of the top two players in world football - the other being Lionel Messi. Whereas Portugal have been eliminated from the World Cup and the 37-year-old is without a club, Messi has the chance to lift the most coveted trophy in world football with Argentina on Sunday.
This, alongside his astronomical amount of goals, assists and dazzling displays of dribbling, has led many to believe that when all is said and done, Messi will be remembered as the greatest player to ever don a pair of boots and take to the pitch.
However, 'many' does not include Morgan, who is unwavering in his belief that Ronaldo is the best football player of all time despite a growing amount of evidence to suggest otherwise, including Messi's remarkable performance against Croatia on Tuesday to seal his nation's place in their second final in three World Cups.
Shortly after Messi fired home a penalty and registered a stunning assist for Julian Alvarez's second goal of the game in the 3-0 win, Stelling took to Twitter to ask: "So where are we now @piersmorgan in the Ronaldo v Messi debate?"
Not one to take the taunting lying down, Morgan hit back with a jaw-dropping claim - even by his standards - as he replied: "I think Cristiano Ronaldo’s the best ever, Maradona 2nd, Messi 3rd (possibly 4th actually, behind R9) [Ronaldo Nazario]."
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Stelling was quick to reply with: "Come on Piers I know you are never wrong but admit you are this time !!!"
Morgan wasn't always of the mindset that Messi was the inferior of the two players, as pointed out to him by former BBC presenter Dan Walker, who unearthed a tweet written by the former Good Morning Britain host that read: "Messi’s the greatest footballer ever, and Cristiano’s the 2nd best. Any further debate is superfluous - I have spoken."
After having that put to him, Morgan quickly dismissed it, saying: "That was 11 years ago mate."
Messi's spot kick against Croatia, his fifth goal of the tournament, saw him become Argentina’s all-time record goalscorer at World Cups, but that is clearly not enough to sway Morgan in his stance.
Witnessing Messi hold aloft the World Cup on Sunday would be difficult to swallow for Ronaldo, who looks unlikely to ever win the competition given he will be 41 years old by the time the 2026 edition of the competition rolls around.
There is still plenty of work to be done before Messi can start to celebrate, however, with the stern test of either Morocco or reigning champions France awaiting Argentina in the World Cup final.
