Lionel Messi (Photo : REUTERS/Paul Hanna)
According to Brazilian soccer legend Pele, both Cristiano Roanldo and Lionel Messi are world-class players. But, Messi, not Ronaldo, is the best soccer player of the last decade.
"They are two great players, but in the past 10 years the best in the world was Messi," said Pele to BBC Sportweek.
Messi is an Argentinean soccer star now playing for Barcelona. He holds the record of winning three FIFA Ballon d'Or awards. The prestigious award is offered to the best performing soccer player in a year.
The 74 year-old soccer honcho, Pele, who was named "Player of the Century" by FIFA in 2000, said the two players have different styles, but Messi is the overall winner and a true team player.
"At the moment people always try to compare Ronaldo with Messi [but] it's a different style," Pele said.
Real's Ronaldo has won three Premier League and one La Liga title. He has won the Champions League twice. Messi is a bit ahead; he has won six La Liga and the three Champions League titles.
Pele had a different tale to tell in January, 2014. He had said then that the Portuguese star Ronaldo had exceeded Messi. At that time, Messi was injured.
"Messi now is playing completely different to Ronaldo. Ronaldo plays only in front," Pele said, according to The Huffington Post.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Messi were against each other on Sunday's El Clásico. It was surely a clash of the Titans, but Barcelona won 2 -1.
Barcelona, after the win, is leading the La Liga with four points ahead of Real Madrid.
