“Can’t really separate those two guys" - Former Manchester United star responds when asked to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Manchester United star Louis Saha opened up on the differences between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The French striker suggested there was little to separate the two superstars.

He told OLBG:

"You can’t really separate those two guys because they are tremendous talents and they’re not at all the same. It’s just two different players."

He added:

“One is almost a natural genius in Messi who had to adapt his game to be the very best for his size. Ronaldo has used his height and power to go and score over 900 goals. So you have two different players with different styles and attributes.

“Those are the two players in this era who have simply topped their talent, their potential. You can’t ask much more. You will never see again."

The pair have established themselves as the two greatest footballers of this era and possibly of all time. Across their careers spanning years, they have won multiple major tournaments and achieved many records, notably lifting 13 Ballon d'Or awards between them.

Their rivalry peaked in the 2010s, where Messi's Barcelona went head-to-head against Ronaldo's Real Madrid in La Liga. During the Argentine's stint, La Blaugrana won the league 10 times, Champions League four times and Copa del Rey seven times. The Portuguese star, meanwhile, lifted the league trophy twice, UCL four times, and Copa del Rey three times with Los Blancos.

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Jamie Carragher provides interesting insight into Messi-Ronaldo rivalry

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher suggested that Messi and Ronaldo's personal performances fuelled each other in their rivalry. The former defender claimed that the pair probably couldn't stand each other but would eventually appreciate their counterpart once they retire.

He said (via Football365):

“They didn’t want to lose out to the other for trophies like the Ballon d’Or – that was always the big rivalry for them every season. They definitely made each other better. But I think they probably can’t appreciate that until they’ve finished. While they’re playing, I bet they can’t stand each other."

Carragher went on to suggest that the pair have completely changed the dynamic of the sport, turning fans from supporting teams to following individual players. This has been highlighted well by regular 'GOAT' debates.

He added:

“People think of it more from a Ronaldo point of view that he was all about himself but I still think Messi was desperate for those Ballons d’Or as well and to beat Ronaldo, no doubt about it.

Following a highly successful stint in Europe with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the Argentine superstar moved to MLS side Inter Miami. The Portuguese hero, meanwhile, featured for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus before moving to Saudi side Al-Nassr.