‘Does he use tricks?’ - Big question in Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate as former Chelsea, Real Madrid & Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben makes his choice

Two legends of the game have spent much of their respective careers battling for the right to be considered the best player on the planet. Messi and Ronaldo have broken countless records between them, while collecting historic hauls of major honours.

They have 13 Ballons d’Or between them, with Messi picking up eight of those Golden Balls, and have raised the bar of individual brilliance to a height that few that follow in their footsteps can ever dream of reaching. Their standing among the sporting immortals is safely secure.

Who, though, can be considered the footballing GOAT? Many have offered their opinion down the years, with former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich star Robben the latest to get involved. The ex-Netherlands international winger has told the TOUZANI YouTube channel: “You mentioned a few really big names who are very good at it. When I talk about it with the guys. The best ever. The best. Truly the absolute, absolute, absolute best ever, I always ask 'does he use tricks?'. And then the answer is no. Messi of course, he doesn't have tricks up his sleeve. He just does everything quickly. He has control, speed, and agility.”

Both Messi and Ronaldo are still going strong at present, with the former now 37 years of later while the latter will turn 40 in February 2025. They are on the books in MLS and the Saudi Pro League, at Inter Miami and Al-Nassr respectively, with more goals and trophies in their sights before retirement is considered.