One of the most talked-about rivalries in football history is the contest between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The World Cup-winning former Spain defender Gerard Piqué has now called the duel between the two superstars, who ruled world football for nearly two decades, one of football’s best chapters.
The Spanish star, a 2010 World Cup winner, believes the extraordinary rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo took modern football to new heights. The ability of the two stars to perform at the highest level even in the closing part of their careers has impressed him.
In an interview with ESPN at a Kings League event, Piqué said: “For the past 15 to 20 years, Messi and Ronaldo have given us an incredible rivalry with completely different kinds of footballing skill. They are now in the final stage of their careers. Even so, at this World Cup we have seen that they still have the ability to produce outstanding performances on the big stage.”
There has long been debate among football fans about who is the greater of Messi and Ronaldo. Messi is known for his extraordinary ball control, creativity and dribbling skill in tight spaces. Ronaldo, on the other hand, has made himself one of the best goal-scorers in history through speed, physical strength, precise finishing and a formidable ability to score goals.
These two contrasting footballing philosophies have created a unique rivalry in world football for nearly two decades. Through their distinct skills and consistent success, they have set new standards in football and shown different paths to achieving greatness.
For Piqué, though, there is only one greatest footballer of all time — Lionel Messi. He said: “I think that at this World Cup, too, Messi has again proved that he is the greatest player in football history.”
Although Argentina could not win the title in this World Cup final, Messi’s performance throughout the tournament was striking. He scored eight goals, provided four assists and played in all eight of the team’s matches.
On Messi’s contribution, Piqué said: “He scored many goals and took the team to another World Cup final. Even though the trophy was not won in the end, his achievement is undoubtedly something to be proud of.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report