Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic has sided with Cristiano Ronaldo in the never-ending GOAT debate between the Al-Nassr superstar and Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo and Messi are two of the greatest players to grace the game. Fans constantly argue about which of the longtime rivals is superior.
Pavlovic is the latest name to join the debate and he has opted to name the Portuguese great as the GOAT. The German teenager was asked Ronaldo or Messi (via CristianoXtra):
“Ronaldo.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, has enjoyed an illustrious career that has seen him reach the pinnacle of European football. He became the first player in history to win five UEFA Champions League trophies.
The Real Madrid and Manchester United icon is club football’s all-time top goalscorer with 739 goals and 236 assists in 993 games. He’s won titles in Spain, England, and Italy and is also international football’s all-time top goalscorer (128 goals in 205 caps).
However, goalscoring hasn’t been an issue for Lionel Messi throughout his incredible career. The Inter Miami superstar has lit up world football and finally won the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Messi, 36, has bagged bagged 721 goals and 344 assists in 889 club games. He won 10 La Liga titles with Barcelona and has two Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain to his name.
Pavlovic is only at the start of his career amid a breakout season at the Allianz Arena. The Germany U20 international appears to possess the qualities that Ronaldo and Messi have displayed throughout their careers.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel gave a glowing verdict of Pavlovic recently and the characteristics he holds (via Bavarian Football Works):
“Aleks is playing with a lot of confidence. He plays the way he trains. He’s a fine footballer and a nice guy.”
Pavlovic has made 10 appearances across competitions this season, scoring two goals and providing as many assists. Many expect him to become a future superstar with the Bundesliga giants.
Bayern forward Thomas Muller named Lionel Messi ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo as his GOAT
Bayern attacker Thomas Muller doesn’t share the same view as Pavlovic regarding which of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is the greatest. The veteran German forward insisted it was the latter due to not only his accomplishments but also his style of play. He told DAZN:
“Who is the greatest of all time? The GOAT for me is Messi because he makes people say ‘I go to the stadium because of his elegance’ and at the same time, he is very effective in scoring goals and achieving records and titles.”
Muller acknowledged Ronaldo as a contender for the GOAT but felt Messi was more elegant stylistically:
“Cristiano is also a strong candidate in two categories which are stats and titles, but Messi is simply more subtle and elegant.”
Fans often point to the Ballon d’Or as being most indicative of which of the iconic duo is the greatest. Lionel Messi is the record holder with eight awards to his name, three more than Cristiano Ronaldo.
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