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Published 08:51 IST, February 4th 2024

Messi or Ronaldo? Eden Hazard gives a strange verdict on the debate and thinks he's no different

Eden Hazard offers a peculiar take on the Messi-Ronaldo debate, sparking curiosity and controversy among fans and pundits alike.

Reported by: Aryan Suraj Chadha
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Eden Hazard, Ronaldo and Messi | Image: AP
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The football world has watched an incredible battle between two titans, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, to determine who is the best player in history, unfold over the last 15 years. While supporters of past generations may fight for icons like as Pele or Diego Maradona, fans of the twenty-first century have been engrossed in a continuous discussion over the Argentine and the Portuguese legends.

3 things you need to know

  • Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time top goalscorer in the history of football 
  • Lionel Messi has won the most Ballon d’Ors (8)
  • Eden Hazard retired from professional football last year

Eden Hazard made a huge statement about the Messi vs Ronaldo debate

Eden Hazard, a former Chelsea player, has joined the topic, making a stunning remark regarding Lionel Messi's superiority over Cristiano Ronaldo while also putting himself into the argument. According to to L'Equipe, Eden Hazard said,

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"Individually, Messi is perhaps the only one. I loved watching the Barcelona player, less so at the end, but he's the greatest in history. It's impossible to take the ball away from him. Cristiano is a bigger player than me but, in terms of pure football, I honestly don't think so."

"Neymar, maybe. After that, he's no better than me, but at Real, you've got the best, also in terms of their careers: Benzema, Modric, they were the best, Kroos, Kev' (De Bruyne), they all exude football,"

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Lionel Messi is currently playing in the Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami, where he has reconnected with players from his time at Barcelona, including Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. In the meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo now plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

In contrast, Eden Hazard declared his retirement in 2023 at the age of 32 after receiving backlash for his Real Madrid performances, weight issues, and injuries.

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In a recent friendly, Al Nassr easily defeated Inter Miami, winning 6-0. Even with Ronaldo out due to injury, Inter Miami's defensive weaknesses were shown, and Messi, who in as a replacement, was unable to lead his team to a victory.

 

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08:51 IST, February 4th 2024