Messi or Ronaldo? Man City star Stones weighs into the GOAT debate

Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? It's the age-old debate that shows no sign of slowing down, even if the two 21st-century GOATs are heading into the twilight of their careers. Everyone has an opinion on which player is the best, and Manchester City star John Stones is no different.

Stones has come up against both players during his career, and while he checked out some of the legendary kits that Classic Football Shirts in Manchester has to offer, he had his say on the Messi vs Ronaldo conundrum.

"It's for Messi for me," he told GOAL during his appearance on Kit Collector. "I don't think there's a right or wrong answer though - it's just personal preference.

"I wish I could be like Messi with the ball and do what he can do and score goals. On the other hand, what Ronaldo brings physically and with different kinds of goals - they're both so good."

Facing the world's biggest names is a long way from where Stones started his career, as he came through the ranks at Barnsley before joining Everton and eventually City.

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And as the England international looked over some of Barnsley's kits from previous eras, it brough back memories of his first steps into the professional game.

"I remember my debut, and I remember feeling like I was in FIFA," he said. "I'd never played in a stadium with a crowd before, and I remember looking across trying to keep a defensive line, and all I could see was the stands and the fans.

"It wasn't the best debut - we lost 4-0 against Reading!"

Check out the full episode of Kit Collector with John Stones on GOAL's YouTube channel.