“More like the smartest guy” - Lothar Matthaus reveals who he is fan of in Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate

German football legend Lothar Matthaus has revealed what he considers to be his preference in the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. The pair of superstars have dominated conversations for years about which of them is worthy of being named as the greatest ever, with little to separate them.

Matthaus was in India after he was named as the official ambassador of the upcoming Bengal Super League, and he spoke about the Messi-Ronaldo debate. He pointed out that he considers them to be two different players hence a direct comparison is impossible, but revealed that he is a fan of Messi for his smartness.

“I don’t like to say that Messi is better than (Cristiano) Ronaldo. It’s very difficult because they are different kinds of players. Ronaldo is more about the power and physicality. Messi is more like the smartest guy, (he’s) more about the entertainment. I am a fan of Messi because of his style of football", he said (via Times of India).

A Ballon d'Or winner in 1990, Lothar Matthaus is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time, due to his success at club and international level. He shared the stage with the graceful Diego Maradona, a rival he admired, and must have seen his similarity to Messi.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have achieved great success in their respective careers, winning a combined 13 Ballon d'Ors and multiple other accolades. They will go down as the greatest rivals in the history of the sport, and will continue to divide opinions as to who is better.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi set for 2026 World Cup meeting

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will likely be at the FIFA World Cup next summer after their respective teams qualified for the tournament. The pair of veteran superstars will be hopeful of picking up the winner's medal for themselves, with Messi having done so in 2022.

Messi's Argentina made light work of their qualifiers, finishing top of the CONMEBOL qualifiers with 38 points from 18 games. The 38-year-old scored eight goals and provided three assists, but has refused to confirm if he will at the tournament next summer.

Ronaldo helped Portugal claim their automatic ticket for the Mundial as they finished above the Republic of Ireland in Group F. The veteran forward has confirmed that he will make himself available for his sixth and final edition of the World Cup aged 41 next summer.