Robbie Savage believes this season will be ‘pivotal’ in the Cristiano Ronaldo–Lionel Messi best ever debate.
Both players are competing in new surroundings this season with Messi leaving Barcelona for PSG in the summer and Ronaldo swapping Juventus for Manchester United.
Messi has six Ballon d’Or titles to his name while Ronaldo has five and unsurprisingly both forwards were named in the latest shortlist of nominees for the prestigious prize.
But for former Premier League midfielder Savage, he feels if the Portuguese star can bag 20 goals this season in a more competitive league than Messi, the debate will finally be settled.
‘I think this is the pivotal season where Ronaldo, for me, will be crowned the best player ever,’ Savage told William Hill.
‘Messi started PSG, you know, he’s had a couple of injuries and is not got off to the best starts.
‘I would say, because Ronaldo has done it in Spain, he started off in Portugal, come to the Premier League, Italy, and now doing it again at 36 in the Premier League.
‘I would say the two greatest players ever if this season dictates, Ronaldo in the Premier League getting 20 goals, and Messi struggling in Ligue 1, I would say Ronaldo is the greatest ever.’
Ronaldo has already netted five goals for United in all competitions while Messi has recorded just the one goal, albeit he has recently come back from a minor injury.
Messi is being tasked with finally delivering the Ligue 1 giants a maiden Champions League trophy as he joins Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in attack.
The Argentine recently suggested the standard in Ligue 1 is of a higher quality than he’s been used to in La Liga.
‘[Ligue 1] It’s a league that is much more physical than LaLiga,’ Messi told France Football.
‘Here, the teams seem to me to be more powerful and the matches are very competitive, with not much space.
‘Most of the players are very strong.’
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