Manchester United star Casemiro was asked to choose who is the better player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese superstar probably won’t like his former Real Madrid team-mate’s answer.
Casemiro has seemingly admitted that Lionel Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo, despite the fact that he and Ronaldo played together at both Real Madrid and Manchester United. It’s a debate that has raged in the football world for the past two decades, and while Messi’s 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina has put an end to it in the eyes of many, the rivalry between him and Ronaldo will likely never be completely over.
But Casemiro’s latest comments speak volumes, especially as Casemiro has every reason to back Ronaldo. In an interview with Spanish newspaper Diario AS, the 32-year-old Brazilian was asked who he thought was better between Messi and Ronaldo, and he didn’t hesitate to praise Messi.
Casemiro chose the best player between Messi and Ronaldo, admitting, “I can never stop him (Lionel Messi) by myself. It’s impossible.” Casemiro added: “I need help from Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos… but I can’t do it alone. Messi is unstoppable.”
However, the Brazilian lumped Messi and Ronaldo together, insisting that the heights the pair have reached and are likely to continue to reach will never be repeated. “It’s difficult to explain,” said Casemiro, “Lionel Messi is one of the best players in history, but we have another player, Cristiano Ronaldo.
What they did is unrepeatable. In my generation, the best were Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi… they did a lot for football and they changed it. Just like Pep Guardiola changed football with tiki-taka, these two changed it. 50 goals a season and it seemed normal to them. Those two players will be in our memories forever.”
Casemiro’s comments come after Ronaldo declared himself “the most complete footballer” of all time. “Who is the best goalscorer in history? It’s about numbers. Period,” Ronaldo confidently told Spanish TV show El Chiringuito.
Which player in history has scored the most goals with his head, his left foot, penalties, free kicks? I looked it up, I’m not left-footed, but I’m in the Top 10 left-footed scorers in history. And with his head, with his right foot, and penalties. All of them.
“I’m talking about numbers,” Ronaldo added, “I think I’m the most complete player who ever lived. In my opinion, I think that’s me. I do everything well in football: with my head, free kicks, my left foot. I’m fast, I’m strong.
Another thing is “taste” – if you like Messi, Pele, Maradona, I understand that and I respect that. But to say Ronaldo is not complete… I am the most complete. I have not seen anyone better than me, and I say that from the heart.
Casemiro first teamed up with Ronaldo in 2013 when he joined Real Madrid from Sao Paolo. Messi’s Barcelona dominated La Liga for the next few years, but Real Madrid dominated in Europe, winning three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.
Ronaldo then moved to Juventus, and then reunited with Casemiro at MU in 2022. However, their reunion did not last long when Ronaldo and then MU coach Erik ten Hag had a disagreement, forcing him to leave just a few months into the 2022-2023 season.
During his illustrious 15-year career, Casemiro has faced Messi 20 times, either with Barcelona, Argentina or PSG. Of those 20 matches, Casemiro’s team won eight, Messi’s team won eight, along with four draws.
