Argentina legend and former World Cup winner Oscar Ruggeri has shared his take on the never-ending Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi debate. The veteran superstar duo have been at odds for the better part of two decades over who is the best in the game.
Ruggeri spoke exclusively to Bola Vip , revealing that he does not consider Ronaldo and Messi to be equals. He praised the Al-Nassr player as a star, but stressed that Messi’s genius puts him on a completely different level.
“I wouldn’t even think of discussing this topic, because there is a big difference between the genius we have and the other one, who is a great player. Messi is a genius and Ronaldo is a star. He is really a star, a very good player, but he is not a genius like Messi,” Ruggeri said.
Ruggeri played alongside Diego Maradona as Argentina won their second World Cup in 1986. He also played for the national team, which reached the final of the 1990 World Cup, only to lose in controversial fashion to West Germany. They came very close to winning the tournament in two successive editions, a feat that Messi and his teammates will hope to achieve this summer.
Ronaldo and Messi will be at the World Cup for the sixth time this year, more than any other player in football history. Both players believe they have a chance to leave North America with a trophy in what will be their final tournament together.
Ronaldo’s former teammate Marcelo has described Messi as the toughest opponent he has ever faced. The retired Brazilian left-back played against the Argentine forward during their days in Spain representing the two biggest clubs.
“Messi… How scary Messi was! I still look for him, damn it! He’s really scary, Messi is very strong. He understands all the positions on the pitch very well; he knows that when a player passes the ball to him from behind, he already knows where to put it, where to send it, etc. I found him really scary,” he told beIN Sports .
Marcelo formed a brilliant partnership with Ronaldo at Real Madrid, with both players playing key roles as they racked up trophies. They defined an era in the club’s history, winning three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.
