Former Real Madrid star picks the greatest soccer player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Since retiring from professional soccer early last year, Gareth Bale, once a star at Real Madrid, has taken some time to reflect on the greatest players of his generation. The Welshman, who shared the pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo during their trophy-laden years at Madrid, once had no doubt in the heated debate between Lionel Messi and Ronaldo.

In past comments, Bale firmly stated: “Personally, I’d say Cristiano Ronaldo. He brings the whole package. He’s strong, powerful, fast, can head and strike the ball,” he told The Mirror, praising the Portuguese icon with whom he enjoyed five successful seasons in the Spanish capital.

But Bale also witnessed Messi’s brilliance firsthand while playing against Barcelona. “Obviously, you can’t say anything bad about Messi, but for the complete footballer, I’d go with Cristiano Ronaldo,” Bale clarified at the time.

However, the Welshman’s stance became a bit less clear when, ahead of last year’s Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, he was asked to name the best player to have ever won the competition. After a brief pause, Bale simply responded, “Messi.”

Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates as he scores their first and equalising goal as Gareth Bale of Real Madrid looks dejected. Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Bale’s top 5 All-Time forwards

In a recent appearance on Futcrunch’s YouTube channel, Bale settled the debate for good, placing Cristiano Ronaldo as his top all-time forward and listing Lionel Messi second. Third on his list was Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazario, followed by Harry Kane in fourth and, in a bold move, Bale put himself fifth.

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Bale’s numbers at Real Madrid

Although Bale often played in the shadow of Ronaldo at Madrid, his statistics were nothing short of exceptional. Over seven seasons, Bale scored 136 goals in 264 appearances, helping secure 19 major trophies for the club, including five Champions League titles.

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Where did Gareth Bale retire?

Like Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale chose to wind down his career in the United States. After a brief return to Real Madrid, Bale joined Los Angeles FC in 2022, where he won both the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. He announced his retirement from professional soccer in early 2023.