Cristiano Ronaldo has named the one player that can contend with himself and Lionel Messi in the GOAT debate.

Ronaldo and Messi are considered as two of the greatest of all time, with some believing that they are indeed the best players in football history.

Others would bring the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff into the debate, while older fans might even throw in Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.

It’s a debate that fans will never universally agree on – yet everybody at least agrees that Ronaldo and Messi are up there.

And in an interview with Piers Morgan last November, the presenter asked Ronaldo whether Messi was the greatest player he had ever seen.

He responded: “Probably, yes.

“Him and [Zinedine] Zidane probably, that I have played and fought with.

“Messi is an amazing player, he is magic. As a person, we share the stage 16 years. Imagine, 16 years we share.

“So I have a great relationship with him. I’m not a friend of his in terms of, what I mean friend is the guy who was with you in your house, speaking on the phone. No, but it’s like a team-mate.

“He’s a guy that I really respect the way he always speaks about me.”

Zidane, meanwhile, managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid between 2015 and 2018, with the pair winning three Champions League titles together.

As a player, he is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He combined excellent passing and dribbling abilities with an eye for the spectacular.

His final act as a player was to guide the France national team to the World Cup final in 2006, but was sent off following his infamous headbutt on Italy’s Marco Materazzi.

Zinedine Zidane pictured playing for Real Madrid (Credit: Getty)

He retired from club and international football after the final, ending a career that saw him play over 800 times for club and country, scoring over 150 goals.

Zidane won the Champions League and La Liga titles with Real Madrid, a Serie A title with Juventus and a World Cup and European Championship with France. He lifted the Ballon d’Or award in 1998.

In 2017, the Frenchman anointed Ronaldo as his greatest player of all time.

He explained (quotes via ESPN): “There have been many players who have made history at this club [Real Madrid]. But nobody has done what he has – the statistics speak for that.

“What he has done is impressive. So I think yes [he is the best in history].

“You know I think Cristiano is much better [than me], although I had a good career.”

Cristiano Ronaldo named the one player he ranks alongside himself and Lionel Messi in the debate for the greatest player of all time.

Last November the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s bombshell interview with Piers Morgan was aired, in which the star was deeply critical of Manchester United owners the Glazers, and manager Erik ten Hag.

Ronaldo also admitted he felt “betrayed” by the Old Trafford club, while he was scathing of former team-mates Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney.

The Portugal star’s comments about his relationship with long-time rival Messi also caused a stir.

The Goat debate

While discussing seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, Ronaldo also referenced another player he would consider one of the greatest players he has seen – Zinedine Zidane.

When Morgan asked Ronaldo about the best player he’d ever seen, excluding himself, the Portugal star said: “Probably [Messi], yes.

“Him [and] Zidane probably – that I have played and fought with.”

Zidane is undoubtedly one of the modern greats. The former France international also has a close relationship with Ronaldo having managed the forward to three consecutive Champions Leagues at Real Madrid.

On Messi

Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the last 15 years of European football and have been in close competition for individual honours and club silverware throughout their careers.

The pair are considered to be two of the greatest players of all time, while many consider the status as football’s GOAT to be between the pair. In turn, it has long been presumed that there is animosity between the duo.

Ronaldo insisted this was not the case, however, and that their relationship is more like that of a teammate.

Speaking to Piers Morgan Uncensored, he said: “Amazing player, he is magic,”

“As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years. we share.

“So, I have a great relationship with him. I’m not a friend of his in terms of, what I mean friend is the guy who was with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it’s like a team-mate.

“He’s a guy that I really respect the way he always speaks about me. Even his wife or my wife, my girlfriend, they always respect and they’re from Argentina.

“My girlfriend is from Argentina. So good. What I am going to say about Messi? A great guy who does great things for football.”