Legendary Nigerian midfielder, Austin Jay Jay Okocha has seemingly added his voice to the debate on who between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time.
The Argentine and the Portuguese superstars have reigned supreme in the sport for years, causing fans, pundits, and even fellow players to remain divided on which of the two is superior.
According to SportBible, the two football legends are widely regarded as the football GOATs thanks to what they have achieved over the years in their respective careers.
To emphasise their unparalleled dominance, they have collectively earned an astounding 12 Ballon d'Or awards, with Messi claiming the prestigious honour a record seven times.
Even though he seemed to have solidified his status as the GOAT ahead of Ronaldo after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, there is still a split opinion on who the king is.
Okocha on the GOAT debate
Super Eagles icon and former Bolton Wanderers playmaker, Okocha gave his opinion on the debate and holds a unique perspective on what distinguishes both players.
While the Nigerian legend acknowledged the extraordinary accomplishments of both Messi and Ronaldo, the former playmaker has a definite favourite in his view.
Okocha said, via Sportskeeda:
"I think both of them rightly deserve to be GOATs but I prefer Messi. As for me... Ronaldo is typical of what you can achieve with hard work, but for Messi, everything comes naturally... And he works hard as well."
The Argentine veteran and the Portuguese superstar have both moved on from Europe in the past year.
Messi is currently plying his trade in the MLS with Inter Miami, while Ronaldo is making waves in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr.
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