In recent years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have monopolized the debate of who is “the greatest soccer player of all time” due to their respective success with their clubs and national teams. However, while some legends have their choice clear, some have changed their minds a couple of times. That’s the case of Keylor Navas, who played alongside both legends.
The goalkeeper shared the locker room with Ronaldo during his time at Real Madrid, as they played together four seasons, winning three Champions League titles, one domestic league, three European Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups. Then, he signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and played with Messi during a season and a half, winning two Ligue 1 titles and one Coup de France.
However, long before he became Messi’s teammate, he already showed his appreciation for the Argentine star’s talent. In 2013, when he played for Levante, he praised Messi in a press conference before a match between Levante and Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
“Messi, I think, is a very good player. He is the best in the world, and that is a gift that God gave him since he was a child—you can see it in videos, and he doesn’t have to prove anything,” Navas said, according to Mundo Deportivo. “He has done many things that will take years, and no one will do them. If Messi plays, I will be focused, and if he doesn’t play, I will be as well. Those who play always have quality.”
However, in 2015, when he was already Ronaldo’s teammate, he said a similar thing about the Portuguese, saying he was “privileged and blessed by God for the talent he has.” However, he also said that Ronaldo was “the best because I share time with him every day. I see the way he works, how professional he is, and everything he does to improve. Other players in his position might say they’ve already achieved everything and stop training, but he proves the opposite. He has a unique talent and qualities that not all players have,” he told La Nación.
Did Navas change his mind after playing alongside Messi?
The goalkeeper hasn’t spoken again on the GOAT debate since then, but when Messi decided to leave PSG in 2023, he wrote on his social media that it was an “honor” to have played alongside the Argentine star.
It turns out that he still has a good relationship with Messi, as he also confessed that the Inter Miami star was one of the reasons he chose to join Newell’s Old Boys, Messi’s boyhood club in Argentina.
“I knew about the club, its history, and the legends who played here. Before coming, I spoke to Messi, and he had nothing but positive things to say,” he told reporters in late January, when being presented by the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Messi: Stats and titles
Messi has won multiple league titles with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, along with four UEFA Champions League trophies. He also led Argentina to two Copa America trophies and World Cup glory. In contrast, Ronaldo has claimed league titles in England, Spain, and Italy, winning the Champions League five times. He played a key role in Portugal’s triumphs at Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League.
When it comes to individual stats, Ronaldo has scored 924 goals in his career, being the all-time goalscorer in professional soccer. Meanwhile, Messi has scored 850 goals. Both stars are still playing, trying to extend their already impressive legacies.