New Delhi: After surpassing Vinicius Junior to claim 2024 Ballon d’Or Manchester City midfielder Rodri has cemented his place among the football elites. The 28-year-old became the first Premier League player to win the prestigious title since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, during his time at Manchester United. This time’s event was historic as it was the very first time since 2003 that neither Lionel Messi nor the Portuguese didn’t feature on the 30-man shortlist, having shared a rivalry for over two decades with Ronaldo winning five and Messi winning a record eight times.
Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win not only solidified his place among the football elite but also gave him a platform to discuss one of the sport’s most enduring debates: who is the greatest of all time, Messi or Ronaldo? The midfielder gave a balanced and well-considerable perspective over the same. During an appearance on the popular Spanish talk show El Hormiguero, the Spaniard didn’t hold back and candidly said, “Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time, without any doubt”.
Rodri’s take on the Messi vs Ronaldo debate
Rodri has faced both the icons during his time in La Liga and offered a compelling explanation for why he believes Messi is the greatest of all time. He explained, “With Cristiano, the one thing you didn’t want was for him to enter the box. If he got in there, it was lethal.” He added, “But Messi? He was a threat everywhere. When Messi got the ball, you’d think: ‘Oh, danger’. Something is going to happen.”
The former Villarreal and Atletico Madrid star shared his early memories of playing against Leo as a teenager. “When I first started playing against him, I tried to take the ball from him, and he dodged you as if you were a bull in the ring. The feeling I had was that something bad was about to happen.”
El mejor jugador de todos los tiempos según @rodrihernandezc #RodriEH pic.twitter.com/2P7v8ZFTRJ
— El Hormiguero (@El_Hormiguero) November 20, 2024
The Man City midfielder’s remark places him among a long list of players who have publicly favoured the legendary FC Barcelona and Argentine captain over Portuguese star and Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer.
Return to Manchester…
Rodri will be honoured in style at the Etihad Stadium for his remarkable Ballon d’Or triumph before Man City’s upcoming fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The midfielder is set to receive a standing ovation from the fans as he returns to Manchester after spending two months in Spain recovering from ACL surgery.
His absence has been deeply felt by Pep Guardiola’s side, who endured a tough stretch, suffering four consecutive defeats without him. It marks the first time they have faced such a losing streak since Guardiola took charge in 2016. Rodri has sustained a season lasting injury and is expected to grace the field next season.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri offers a unique perspective over Messi vs Ronaldo debate. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
