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‘NO CONTROVERSY, MESSI IS BETTER THAN RONALDO, SAYS DAVID BECKHAM
Former Manchester player and legend, David Beckham has weighed in on the Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo debate – and, according to British Daily Mail, believes that the Barcelona talisman is the greatest player in the world.
Beckham insists that both superstars are a level above the rest of the sport, but views Messi as also being in a class of his own.
Beckham, who came up against Messi during his brief stint at Paris Saint-Germain, insists it is ‘impossible’ that any player comes close to matching the diminutive Argentine’s talent.
The former Real Madrid star, now the president at Inter Miami, enjoyed a trophy-laden career of his own – having won the Premier League, Champions League and La Liga among a host of others.
But both Messi and Ronaldo have been leading at the forefront for over a decade in Europe, and hold a sensational 11 Ballon d’Ors between them.
Beckham was even rumoured to have approach Messi with a view to a sensational switch for his newly-founded MLS team.
The Times reported that the former England captain was hopeful of securing a number of elite players to his club, with Messi seen as the ultimate statement.
The report stated that there is a belief that a MLS swoop for Messi may be viable in two years’ time, with Inter Miami a potential destination.
Despite the latter’s stellar form across his spells at United, Real and Juventus, Beckham shared his belief that Messi stands at the pinnacle of the game.
‘He [Messi] is alone in his class as a player, it is impossible that there is another like him,’ Beckham told Argentine publication Telam.
‘He, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not at his level, are both above the rest.’
And having spoken highly about the 32-year-old Messi, Beckham also recalled his encounter on the field against the wing wizard in the 2013 Champions League.
PSG and Barcelona clashed at the quarter-final stage, with the Parisians knocked out of the competition on away goals.
The 44-year-old added: ‘We were leading before Messi came in, and once he came in, Barcelona scored.
‘Although I enjoyed playing at that level at my age, I do not like to lose. Our team played well. In both matches, we did things we should be proud of.
‘We didn’t lose against Barcelona, and that is something that should motivate us.’
Despite the crushing European disappointment, Beckham rounded off his glittering playing days with a Ligue 1 winners’ medal at the end of the campaign.
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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