West Ham duo David Moyes and Declan Rice will be the latest to go in Cristiano Ronaldo’s little black book after their Lionel Messi comments.
It has been the most asked question in football over the last couple of decades and continues to cause divides among fans, players and managers in the game.
But it is no less fascinating to hear where people stand on who they rate more highly out of Portugal’s Ronaldo and Argentina’s Messi.
At West Ham there are few arguments over who the best player is, Rice wins that one hands down.
Hammers boss Moyes is still seen as very much part of the old school. It would fair to assume he places a higher value on hard work than flair, on hunger and desire over skill and finesse.
But West Ham duo Moyes and Rice will be the latest to go in Ronaldo’s little black book after their Messi comments.
Ronaldo has previously admitted in interviews that he keeps a black book of people who have wronged him or disrespected him. He confirmed as much when speaking to Piers Morgan in his world exclusive chats too.
His big talent is matched by his ego and the ex Man United star is known to snub those who publicly state that Messi is better than him. Ronaldo believes he is the best player of all time and will not hear any different.
Well the names of two West Ham men will be jotted down in the Portuguese star’s little black book.
Because Hammers pair Moyes and Rice share the same opinion – that Messi is the greatest.
Speaking in his column in The Times, Moyes said he gets great joy from watching Messi and says ‘football is in awe of him’.
“I came up against Messi when he was at Barcelona and I managed Real Sociedad,” Moyes said in The Times.
“He’s got an aura around him and sees things quicker than anyone else on the pitch. I think he has got even better with age.
“There is an incredible respect for Messi from nearly every manager and every other football player and it is because of the way he has conducted himself throughout his career. He has never been a player who feigns injury. You see him being tackled and don’t see him having three or four belly flops before he goes down. When you think how many people try and kick him, that attitude is really refreshing and part of why he is in the hearts of people who genuinely love the game.
“Watching him now is like getting to see the best band on the planet: you worry that you might not get to see them again so you appreciate them even more. You think of those pictures of him as the 13, 14-year-old boy wonder and think of all the stars who come through but can’t maintain it because they can’t dedicate themselves to the sport.
“Messi, in contrast, has had almost 20 years of incredible performances, of evolving and always conducting himself the right way. Football is in awe of him.”
West Ham midfielder Rice shares his manager’s admiration of Messi.
Speaking in an interview for the England website, Rice named Messi as the one player he would love to have played alongside.
“Lionel Messi,” Rice said when asked to name one player from the history of world football he could play alongside.
“Growing up watching him, for me, he’s the greatest ever.
“And when he was in his prime at Barcelona, in the best team ever, I would love to have played with Messi.”
Well you never know Dec, if West Ham can make a cheeky bid to PSG in January that dream could still become a reality!
But you can bet your bottom dollar the message from Moyes to the great man would be clear: “If you don’t run, you won’t play!”
One thing is for certain, if one helps their country to win a World Cup this month then that will probably seal the debate forever more.
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