Manchester United winger Amad Diallo recently made his choice in the never-ending Greatest of All Time (GOAT) debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In a knockout challenge by Sky Sports on X, he chose the Argentine over the Portuguese as his ultimate football player.
The 22-year-old Ivorian named Marcus Rashford the best player he has ever played with. When asked who his idol was growing up, Amad said Messi and explained that he has always admired the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
He went further to name Alejandro Garnacho as the fastest player he’s ever seen play and Wayne Rooney as Manchester United’s best player of all time.
Amad also named Didier Drogba as the best Ivorian to feature in the Premier League. He named Ronaldo as the best dribbler in the Premier League’s history, Neymar as his favorite winger, and Nemanja Vidic as the best defender to play in the English top-flight.
When Rashford was pitted against Messi in the knockout round, Amad opted for the Inter Miami ace. He also picked Rooney over Garnacho, Ronaldo over Drogba, and Neymar ahead of Vidic.
In the next round, he chose Messi over Rooney, and Ronaldo over Neymar. When asked to finally pick between the two superstars, Amad replied:
“Sorry guys, Messi.”
The debate over who is the best player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continues to divide football fans and players alike. However, both players will go down as two of the greatest to ever play the game, having won a combined total of 13 Ballon d’Or awards.
Amad, meanwhile, is enjoying his best season as a Manchester United player since joining from Atalanta in 2021 for a reported €21.3 million as a prodigy. He has featured in 21 games across competitions this term, registering three goals and six assists.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi miss out on FIFPRO XI
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were both omitted from the final list for the 2024 FIFPRO XI. Global players union FIFPRO on Monday, December 9, announced the XI of the best players in 2024 as voted by professional players across the globe.
Manchester City’s Ederson was named in goal, while Dani Carvajal, Virgil van Dijk and Antonio Rudiger made the defensive trio. The midfield consisted of Toni Kroos, Jude Bellingham, Rodri, and Kevin De Bruyne. Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe led the attack.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were initially included in the 26-man list but failed to make the final cut. For the first time since 2006, neither of the two football greats made the FIFPRO XI. The Argentine had been in the XI for a consecutive 17 times, while the Portuguese has been voted in 15 times.
