'He raises his level' - Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini enters GOAT debate and reveals why he would pick Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi

During his tenure at Juventus, Chiellini was no stranger to the challenge of stopping Ronaldo. The two clashed six times during Ronaldo’s Real Madrid days, and the Portuguese ace scored in every encounter, netting an astonishing nine goals against Chiellini. The Italian veteran openly admitted the difficulty of facing a player with such precision and power, making Ronaldo’s eventual move to Juventus in 2018 a relief.

When faced with the eternal Messi versus Ronaldo question, Chiellini carefully navigated his response.

"We cannot say for me, who is better, Messi or Cristiano," Chiellini said on The Overlap on Tour.

"But if I have to pick one, for a final, Cristiano."

Chiellini added: "I love to play with Cristiano. And I saw when the game is more difficult, he raises his level of performance."

When Ronaldo joined Juventus for a record-breaking £105 million transfer in 2018, the dynamic between the two shifted dramatically. Over three years, they played 55 matches together, securing five titles, including consecutive Serie A championships. For Chiellini, sharing the pitch with Ronaldo provided a unique perspective on the Portuguese star’s unmatched work ethic and mental fortitude.

"Well, Ronaldo, when you are losing, he had the balls, no matter what, to try to win," Chiellini said.

"Shoot from everywhere in order to lead the team to win. And it is not easy to do for a lot of players. I loved to play with him because working with him and looking at him every day, with little details, is very nice. I was 35 and he was 34, and we weren't obviously in our prime. But it was very funny to play with him. And look how big is his personality."

Chiellini’s insights offer a glimpse into why Ronaldo is celebrated as one of the most clutch performers in football history. Now playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo continues to demonstrate his enduring brilliance. He is expected to return to Stefano Pioli’s starting lineup for Al-Nassr’s crucial clash against league leaders Al-Ittihad on Friday, December 6.