It’s no secret that Lionel Messi’s relationship with Argentine fans had a rocky beginning. However, after winning the Copa America (twice) and finally securing the World Cup, he captured their hearts. Despite this, iconic Argentine goalkeeper Hugo Gatti, famously known as El Loco, remains unconvinced. In a recent interview with La Nacion, the 80-year-old openly admitted he prefers Cristiano Ronaldo over Messi.
In the interview, Gatti criticized Messi’s current form, stating that if the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner chooses to play in the 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Argentina will effectively be playing “with one less player.”
“Today, he’s already one less. He’s playing country-club soccer in the United States,” Gatti remarked, referring to Messi’s move to Inter Miami. However, when asked whether Cristiano Ronaldo’s current stint in Saudi Arabia placed him in a similar situation, Gatti had a different response.
“Yeah, but it’s tougher playing there. Everyone plays there. They chase you; they’ll kill you,” he said. “Cristiano, even limited, is a phenomenon. Limited, he’s better than Messi. And he’s limited because he doesn’t have Messi’s natural talent, but he played for the best teams in the world. Where did Messi play? Barça and the Argentina national team. Messi never challenged himself by playing for other teams, in other countries. And he had the opportunities, you know?”
Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates a goal (IMAGO / Naushad)
Gatti hails Mbappe as the best player in the world
For Gatti, the title of the world’s best player belongs to Kylian Mbappé, whom he compared to Pelé. “Did you see what he did in the World Cup final? It was Mbappé against Argentina. He’s a phenomenon. He’s sharp and has Pelé’s demeanor. Right now, he’s not doing as well, but what do you expect? Real Madrid is the biggest testing ground in the world.”
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Gatti on Argentina’s ‘lucky’ 2022 World Cup win
Gatti also criticized Lionel Scaloni’s 2022 World Cup-winning side, claiming their victory was down to fortune. “If the tournament had been played in Argentina, they wouldn’t have won. Why? They won because they played in a place where they don’t like football, and they wanted—not for Argentina to become champions—but for Messi to become champion so they could say he’s the best in the world. That’s the reality,” he said.
Lionel Messi won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina (IMAGO / ActionPictures)
Looking ahead to 2026, Gatti expressed doubts about Argentina’s prospects. “I hope I’m wrong, but I think the national team won’t do well in the next World Cup. They no longer have their key players,” he explained.
Messi vs. Ronaldo in 2024: Who was better?
In 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo outscored Lionel Messi, but the Argentine maintained a better goal-to-game ratio. Ronaldo netted 43 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions for club and country, adding 7 assists. Meanwhile, Messi tallied 29 goals in 36 appearances and contributed 18 assists.
