“Cristiano is a great player as well” - Pedri chooses between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Barcelona star Pedri chose his former teammate Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo when asked to pick his GOAT.

It may not surprise fans that the midfielder chose the Argentine icon, given they played 47 matches together, bagging three joint-goal contributions across competitions. Unfortunately for Pedri, his time with Messi was cut short as the 36-year-old departed Camp Nou in the summer of 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner spent two years in Paris before moving to Inter Miami in 2023, where he now plies his trade. Meanwhile, Ronaldo also exited Europe in January 2023 when he joined Al-Nassr after having his contract at Manchester United mutually terminated.

When asked to pick between these footballing greats, Pedri said (via Barca Universal):

"Messi, without a doubt. But Cristiano is a great player as well."

Both players have enjoyed stellar careers up until this point. Ronaldo has bagged an incredible 748 senior career goals and 236 assists in 1002 games while winning the UEFA Champions League trophy five times.

He was awarded the Ballon d'Or award on five occasions and has lifted the La Liga and Serie A trophies twice each. Ronaldo is also a three-time Premier League champion.

Meanwhile, Messi has notched up 726 senior club career goals and 346 assists in 894 appearances, having won La Liga 10 times and the Champions League thrice. He also led Argentina to World Cup success in Qatar in 2022 by scoring seven goals and assisting three.

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Leon Bailey's agent claims Aston Villa star can become the best in the world as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo get older

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi

Leon Bailey's agent Craig Butler believes the Aston Villa attacker can become the best in the world, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo entering the final years of their careers.

Bailey has impressed in the Premier League but is still far from establishing himself as a global great. This season, he's notched up 12 goals and 11 assists across competitions in 41 appearances.

Speaking on the Up The Villa Podcast, Butler said (via GOAL):

"There is so much more to come. I don't think Leon has hit 40% of his potential yet. I believe that one day he will be the best player in the world. Lionel Messi's getting older, Cristiano Ronaldo's getting older, Neymar has injury problems and is getting older, Mbappe as well."

The Jamaica international's performances have reportedly drawn interest from some of Europe's elite clubs. A potential move to such outfits would earn Bailey the chance to follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned greats.