Ex-Juventus Star Settles the GOAT Debate Between Lionel Messi and Pele With Cristiano Ronaldo Snubbed From Final Consideration

Is it possible to ever settle the debate about the greatest soccer player of all time? Every day, this ongoing argument is met with fresh opinions, bringing a unique twist to the narrative. This time, a former teammate of Lionel Messi has dipped his toes in the never-ending GOAT debate as he draws parallels with the Argentine and Pele by snubbing the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo. It is none other than Arturo Vidal, who may have stirred some debates within the soccer fraternity.

In his free time, the Chilean chose to play a small game, which he subsequently shared on one of his social networks. The game featured a camera lens displaying a poll titled ‘Favorite GOAT,’ presenting images of two soccer players on either side. Vidal had to indicate his preference by moving his head towards one of the options provided. The poll initially featured Neymar and Ronaldinho, with Vidal opting for Dinho. Subsequently, Neymar was replaced by Zinedine Zidane, and once again, Vidal chose Gaucho. 

However, when Cristiano Ronaldo came up for Zizou, the Colo-Colo midfielder was forced to snub Ronaldinho and select CR7 instead. Notably, the game took an interesting turn when Lionel Messi appeared, and he fervently nodded towards La Pulga. Surprisingly, Vidal continued to gesture towards his ex-Barcelona teammate, even as other options, including Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Sergio Ramos, and Pele, were coming up.

These responses from Vidal provide some fascinating insights, particularly indicating that he considers Lionel Messi his GOAT over Ronaldo and other legends. Notably, this isn’t the first time he candidly backed La Pulga. 

Arturo Vidal once claimed there is no comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo!

Arturo Vidal was earlier asked the classic ‘Messi or Ronaldo’ question. In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, the former Bayer Leverkusen star said, “There is no comparison between Messi and Ronaldo. Leo is from another planet.” Vidal left Bayern for Barcelona in the summer of 2018, where he managed to forge a ‘beautiful friendship’ with the former Catalan star. 

While his union with Lionel Messi was short-lived after he moved to Inter Milan in 2020, the midfielder asserted that his friendship with Messi remains ‘united‘ forever. During his two years with Messi-led Barca, Vidal won La Liga as well as the Spanish Super Cup. Either way, it’s quite interesting to see how, in just a short spell, the Chilean declared Lionel Messi as his GOAT among such revered soccer names.

What are your thoughts on Arturo Vidal’s take on his favorite GOATs? Let us know in the comments. 

READ MORE: Gerard Pique Hails Lionel Messi as ‘The Greatest Player in History’ Over Cristiano Ronaldo, Reflecting on Youth Days Before Link-Up With CR7