Bale: Ronaldo more complete footballer than Messi

17-Feb-2013 5:30:00 PM

The Tottenham attacker believes the Portugese is a better all-round player than the Argentine magician, as the race for the Premier League's most sought-after man hots up

Tottenham forward Gareth Bale says Cristiano Ronaldo is a more "complete footballer" than Barcelona's Lionel Messi.

The in-form Spurs attacker, who is rumoured to be a transfer target for both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich this summer, has scored 13 Premier League goals so far this season.

Asked the question, "Messi or Ronaldo?" by Life's a Pitch, Bale revealed his admiration for Los Blancos' star.

"For me, personally, I’d say Ronaldo," the 23-year-old Welshman responded.

"He’s got the whole package. He’s strong, he’s powerful, he’s pacey, can head the ball, strike the ball. Obviously, you can’t say anything bad about Messi, but for the all-round complete footballer, I’d say Cristiano Ronaldo."

The comments are likely to be taken as a welcome sign by Real Madrid that the Wales international would relish the chance to link up with Ronaldo.

According to reports, Los Merengues are expected to challenge Bayern for his signature at the end of the season in a move thought to potentially be worth around €50 million.

By then, die Roten will be managed by Messi's former Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, who is said to also have a great interest in bringing Bale to the Bavarian outfit.