The debate over who holds the title of the greatest soccer player in history has intensified over the years, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominating the conversation for the past 15 years. This never-ending discussion consistently draws fresh perspectives from former players, current stars, and fans alike. This time, it was Manchester United icon Paul Scholes who weighed in.
The legendary midfielder, who won 29 trophies during nearly 15 seasons with the Red Devils, has offered his insights on the topic before. Scholes, who played alongside Ronaldo at United and faced Messi in two memorable Champions League finals, has seen both players’ brilliance up close.
Back in 2008, after winning the Champions League, Scholes heaped praise on Ronaldo: “He has to be at the very top now, after what he’s done this season. Scoring the amount of goals from his position has been nothing short of astounding. But it’s not just that—it’s the way he creates chances and the threat he poses to other teams”.
However, time and experience against Messi in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals, both won by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, shifted Scholes’ perspective.
Paul Scholes challenges Lionel Messi during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final, second leg match between Manchester United and Barcelona. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Speaking with ESPN in 2018, Scholes didn’t hold back in his admiration for the Argentine. “Watching Messi against Tottenham at Wembley made me rethink the Messi vs. (Cristiano) Ronaldo debate,” Scholes admitted. “I choose Messi, but Ronaldo is brilliant. Ronaldo is sensational at what he does—with pace, power, goals, and free kicks. But as a complete footballer, Messi has absolutely everything”.
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Scholes recalls facing Messi on the pitch
In 2015, Scholes penned a column for The Independent entirely dedicated to Messi. He detailed his experiences against the Argentine in two Champions League finals but emphasized their first encounter during the 2008 Champions League semifinals.
That tie saw a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou and a 1-0 victory for United at Old Trafford, where Scholes scored the decisive goal. Reflecting on that Manchester match, Scholes admitted: “With the score 1-0 in our favor, I fouled him in our area (…) I’ll never forget those few seconds when the best footballer in the world tricked me into fouling him, and I braced myself for the world to collapse around me”.
After that match, Scholes faced Messi again in Barcelona’s two Champions League final triumphs, where he learned valuable lessons: “These are some of the small details you pick up when playing against him that you might not see on TV. First of all, he never talks on the pitch. In fact, I don’t think I ever heard him say a single word. Secondly, you wouldn’t believe how strong he is for someone so small“.
Scholes admitted those matches were a struggle: “You think you’ve got him covered, and in the blink of an eye, he’s gone—only to reappear somewhere else with the ball.” He continued his praise: “As a finisher, there are few players as composed as Messi. When you can score so many different types of goals like he can, you have every reason to be confident”.
