Former Ronaldo teammate at Manchester United explains why he prefers Messi

Former striker Giuseppe Rossi, who spent three years next to Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United between 2004 and 2007, recently weighed in on the differences between the Portuguese star and Lionel Messi.

“They both bring different things to the game, that’s why it’s so hard to compare them,” Rossi told DAZN. “The positioning is different, the style of play is different. The interpretation of the game is different.“

CR7 and Leo have been compared for years now, with both legends taking all the limelight in world soccer since they rose to stardom. Rossi understands they are different players and are hard to compare, but prefers Messi for his ability to create plays for others.

Rossi highlights Messi’s playmaking ability over Ronaldo’s desire to score

“Ronaldo went from a winger to being the best number nine on the planet, scoring goals is all he cares about. Messi is a goalscorer but he facilitates and I appreciate that as a player who likes to come deep and get the ball,” Rossi added. “He’s a more cerebral player, Messi and therefore some people don’t understand that part of the game, right? Those who do appreciate it more.“

Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United is mobbed after scoring the second goal by John O’Shea, Wes Brown, Giuseppe Rossi and Rio Ferdinand during the Barclays Premiership match between Manchester United and Charlton Athletic at Old Trafford on May 7, 2006 in Manchester, England.

Ronaldo forged a reputation for being one of the greatest scorers of all time, scoring a mind-boggling 885 goals so far. That’s better than Messi’s impressive 830 goals, but the former Barcelona star gains the upper hand in assists (366 to Ronaldo’s 250).

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“So that’s why I lean more towards watching Messi play,” said Rossi, who clarified that “it’s all about preference, it’s all about preference. I was lucky enough to have had the privilege of playing against them during that era in Spain.”

As Rossi said, everyone will have their own opinion about this debate as it’s a matter of preference. Some will stick to Ronaldo’s scoring stats which include the record for the most international goals, while others will prefer Messi’s achievements, which include a record eight Ballon d’Ors.