Jamie Carragher gives emphatic response when asked if Messi vs Ronaldo debate is now over | OneFootball

Highlights

Many footballers, past and present, have weighed in on the old-age Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate and now, defender-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher has given his two cents and made a bold claim by saying “it’s not even close”. It’s subjective, of course, but would you rather have the Portuguese talisman or the Argentine magician in your team?

Why Leo Messi has a problem with Jamie Carragher

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The debate is reaching the back end of its years, however, given that both Messi and Ronaldo have departed Europe for Inter Miami and Al-Nassr, respectively. But that hasn’t stopped the CBS Sports crew from asking Carragher who he thinks is the undisputed GOAT - and his answer will certainly ruffle some feathers.

Carragher settles Messi – Ronaldo GOAT debate

On the CBS Sports Golazo set in Miami, Messi’s new home, Carragher was joined by an array of co-hosts on a six-person panel – including Thierry Henry and Micah Richards - as they delved into discussions, while answering questions sent in by fans of the popular show. When quizzed by Kate Abdo about whether the debate between Messi and Ronaldo was finally over, Carragher unequivocally made his choice, insisting that it “was never a debate”. But who does he choose?

A panel member then argued against his stance, claiming that Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time, claiming that Carragher’s answer was purely down to the fact that the former Liverpool ace holds a grudge against the Portugal international. The same panelist suggested that Ronaldo’s tenure at Manchester United – before his switch to Real Madrid – was him in his prime and that, at that time, the debate was ‘pretty close’. And, of course, Carragher just had to respond.

“He wasn't at his prime at United. Of course, he was a great player, but I think he was at his best at Real Madrid.”

Lionel Messi refuses to join the CBS crew because of Carragher

Carragher backed up his point further and even went on to claim that his opinion has no bias considering his past altercations with both players in question after host Abdo revealed all, while Henry couldn’t help but look shocked.

The former Liverpool defender has become one of the most popular pundits post-retirement, though it’s not unfair to say that neither Ronaldo nor Messi are his biggest fans. Following the legendary forward’s switch to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, Carragher publicly stated his doubts, much to Messi’s discontent.

As CBS were covering a Champions League night, Carragher, ranked 14th in Liverpool’s greatest players ever, revealed that eight-time Ballon d’Or Messi messaged him calling him a ‘Burro’, which Abdo politely told him translated into ‘donkey’.

“You know that we made an official invitation, extended one to Inter Miami and asked him [Messi] to come on the show, and you know what the official response was from Inter Miami? Apparently, Lionel Messi will not be doing any television show that Jamie Carragher is a part of.”

The former Reds captain managed to see the funny side of the icon's refusal to link up and even considered the fact that Messi refused to do the show was his ‘claim to fame’, before asking the in-attendance Miami crowd who’d they prefer to see on the show: him or global icon Messi?