Who is the greatest ever? Cristiano Ronaldo? Lionel Messi? The debate continues to consume football experts and fans across the globe with no clear answer. Each set of fans lay down convincing arguments based on data, impact, titles won, individual award won to support their respective claims.
The debate is a never-ending one.
ASIA CUP 2022: FULL COVERAGE | SCHEDULE | RESULTS
And perhaps that might be the case, forever.
Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, who is considered to be the heir apparent to the legacy of Messi and Ronaldo, says the reason people are obsessed with their rivalry is because of how these two global icons changed the way football is played.
“They changed the way people approach the game," Mbappe told the Wall Street Journal. “I think that’s why their rivalry obsessed so many people. They don’t see soccer the same way. They don’t see life the same way."
“And they went at it tooth and nail for more than a decade—for me, that was my entire childhood," he added.
Between them, Messi and Ronaldo have won 12 Ballon d’Or awards, creating a duopoly for over a decade.
So when does Mbappe think he will lay his hand on the prestigious award given annually to the best footballer on the planet?
“I think I’m about to win it. I always say I dream about everything. I have no limits. So of course, like you say, it’s a new generation. And Ronaldo, Messi — you’re gonna stop. We have to find someone else, someone new," Mbappe had told the New York Times in an interview.
In another interview, Mbappe said people of his generation associate the award with Messi and Ronaldo.
“As for all those of my generation, the Ballon d’Or is inevitably associated with the battle between Leo and Cristiano. Digging really deep into my memory, I also remember a little bit Ronaldinho (winner in 2005)," Mbappe said.
“But, frankly, everything is crushed by the greedy two! They have shared the prize for so long. Every year, like everyone else, I wondered which one of them would get it. Looking back, that battle was pretty crazy," he added.
Read all the Latest Sports News and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment