‘Greatest footballer in my lifetime’: Ronaldo or Messi? Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp shares his pick

The comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is never-ending. The debate regarding the greatest of all time between the duo saw a twist after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup 2022 edition. With Argentina winning their first-ever WC title after 1986, Messi also got his hands on the coveted title in what was his swansong from the marquee tournament. Winning the World Cup, Messi has gone ahead of Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T debate and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also lavished huge praise on him, calling him as the ‘greatest footbaler in my lifetime’.

“Argentina deserved it and when you saw the team and the country celebrating, then it probably hit the right country in difficult times. I am really happy for them, they waited for a long time,” Klopp explained.

“The greatest footballer in my lifetime, Lionel Messi, the way he plays football in this age should give us all a hint at how long footballers can perform at the top level. We shouldn’t close the books too early. It was a joy to watch him,” Klopp was quoted as saying by The ECHO. Messi had a memorable run in the Qatar WC, scoring seven goals along with three assists to also end with the Golden Ball Award. He became the first-ever player to win the award twice, having already won it in 2014.

Messi-led Argentina started the World Cup with a shocking loss versus Saudi Arabia. After that, they regrouped in style and went onto win six games in a row to lift the title, beating defending champions France — at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar — on December 18 on penalty shootout (4-2) after the two sides were tied at 3-3 following the extra time. After this memorable victory, Messi has earned the Copa America as well as the World Cup title in over 12 months to stamp his authority as one of the greatest of all-time.