'I was twice in UEFA team of the year – the Messi vs Ronaldo debate is a no brainer'

Arjen Robben has had his say on who the greatest footballer of all time is; Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. The Dutchman shared the pitch with both superstars throughout his illustrious career, which was spent with the likes of Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, as well as on the international stage with the Netherlands.

There’s no doubt that Messi has left an indelible mark on the footballing world since debuting with Barcelona back in 2004, winning ten La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and seven Copa Del Rays at Camp Nou. He also helped guide PSG to two Ligue 1 titles after his move in 2021, as well as a World Cup with Argentina in 2022.

He also has eight Ballon d’Or titles to his name, six European Golden Shoes, eight FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a litany of other accolades. Ronaldo, meanwhile, also has a long list of achievements in his own right – winning three Premier League titles and a Champions League with Manchester United, two La Liga trophies and four Champions Leagues with Real Madrid, and two Serie A winners’ medals Juventus.

With both men achieving so much in the beautiful game throughout their careers, it can be incredibly hard to pick who is the better player. But Robben has weighed in on the debate, arguing that Messi is superior at the end of the day.

Speaking about tricky players on the TOUZANI YouTube channel, the 40-year-old said: “You mentioned a few really big names who are very good at it. When I talk about it with the guys. The best ever. The best. Truly the absolute absolute absolute best ever, I always ask ‘does he use tricks?’.

“And then the answer is no. Messi of course, he doesn’t have tricks up his sleeve. He just does everything quickly. He has control, speed, and agility.”

At the age of 37, Messi is currently enjoying the latter stages of his career with David Beckham’s Inter Miami. The pacey forward claimed a Leagues Cup shortly after his arrival in Florida, also adding a Supporters’ Shield to his growing list of trophies this year.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, opted to make a big-money move to Saudi Arabia in 2023 after having his contract mutually terminated by Manchester United in 2022. The 39-year-old currently plays for Al-Nassr, where he won the Arab Club Champions Cup last year.

While both men are nearing 40, they have showed absolutely no signs of slowing down in terms of their respective performances. Ronaldo has netted eight goals in nine appearances for his club across all competitions so far this season, while Messi has scored 19 and set-up 12 across 21 games for Miami in the 2024 MLS campaign.