Former Manchester United teammate picks Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo

That's it, I think after this we've officially heard from everyone about whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is the better player.

For years, it has been virtually impossible not to hear one name without the other, pretty much no matter what the topic about them was.

Less than a week ago, as PSG crashed out of the Champions League, one player claimed Messi would have 15 Ballon d'Ors, virtually impossible, if he just had his rivals workrate.

A day later, fans of Al Ittihad chanted the Argentine star's name at Ronaldo, as their side beat Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, something he was pissed about.

Throughout their time as the two best players in the world, and even now, there has been a string of ever more tiresome comparisons between the pair.

Player A claims one is better than the other because of one thing and then Ex player B says something else, and not forgetting former manager C saying they're both great, as Arsene Wenger did recently.

And now I believe every single person connected to football ever has been asked, with former United player Kieran Richardson giving his view.

"They're both the GOATs," Ronaldo's ex teammate told the Steven Sulley Podcast, perhaps not realising the 'G' stands for greatest.

"But if I had to pick one, then I have to pick Messi, even though I know Ronaldo, I've played with Ronaldo, I love Ronaldo."

Richardson played with Ronaldo during the latter's first spell at Old Trafford. Image: Alamy

It does sound a little like the 38-year-old is just trying to remind everyone that he once player alongside Ronaldo, when we should remember he helped make West Brom the first side to stay in the Premier League after being bottom at Christmas.

The former England player explained that winning the World Cup last December is what separates Messi from the Al Nassr man.

"It's a massive thing having that World Cup, because even before Messi had the World Cup, everyone was saying, 'yeah, but he hasn't won it yet,'" Richardson added.

""He can't be the best of all time because [Diego] Maradona won it, Pele won it.

"Now there is no question, he's won the pinnacle any footballer would want to win.

"Even though they get their own accolades, World Player of the Year so many times, but as a footballer, when you're thinking as a kid, you want to win a World Cup. That's all you want to win."

Topics: Manchester United, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Football, Al Nassr, Paris Saint-Germain

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a journalist for SPORTbible with over eight years of experience. Passionate about all sports, he mainly covers football and F1 - Daniel Ricciardo once spent an entire interview referring to him as 'Ryan Gosling,' still his proudest moment.

@Sidler28