Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate - Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller picks his winner & explains reasons for choice

Two eternal rivals have spent their entire careers battling it out against one another for the right to be considered the greatest of all-time. They have won 12 Ballons d’Or between them and broken countless records in domestic, continental and international competition.

Germany international Muller has lined up against both down the years and has told DAZN when asked to make his pick between two modern day legends: “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. Cristiano is also a strong candidate in two categories which are stats and titles, but Messi is simply more subtle and elegant.”

Messi has scored more goals at club level than Ronaldo – 720 to 715 – and also leads the current Al-Nassr forward when it comes to assists, having teed up 342 efforts for grateful team-mates compared to the haul of 226 from his Portuguese foe.

Messi has more individual and collective titles than Ronaldo – who has played two more seasons in his senior career – but it is the history-making Portugal international that boasts the most goals for his country and more efforts in the Champions League.