Key Takeaways
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stand as two of the greatest players of all time.
Ashley Cole came up against them both during his career on multiple ocassions.
The defender revealed which of the famous duo was a tougher opponent.
Depending on what side of the fence you sit on, you are either team Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. While you can appreciate both players and what they have achieved, the tribal nature of football likely means that there is a preference for one or the other, and little can be done to sway you to the other side.
The reality is that both players are two of the best ever, and without each other to compete against, neither man would have become as mythical as they did because the standard they needed to reach to be the best would have been far lower. It's not only fans who debate which of the two superstars is superior; even some of their opponents throughout the years have given their say.
One such example of this was former Chelsea and Arsenal left-back Ashley Cole. The former England international came up against both Messi and Ronaldo on multiple occasions during his career and provided them both with some of their sternest tests. However, Cole once revealed which of the two he believed he had the most trouble playing against, which will ruffle the feathers of one group of fans.
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Speaking during a guest appearance on Monday Night Football back in 2019, Cole was asked which of the two was the tougher opponent. Despite the viral clip of a teenage Ronaldo turning the defender inside out during their first-ever meeting, the Englishman claimed that it was actually Messi whom he dreaded coming up against the most.
As per talkSPORT, the retired defender-turned-coach stated:
"It has to be Messi. People talk about Ronaldo more because I played against him more. But I think to mark Messi, on his day… he was just too good for me. But, again, he’s never scored [against me]."
While Cole is correct that Messi has never scored a goal against him, the Argentine does have an assist to his name, which came in arguably the most controversial showdown between Barcelona and Chelsea in 2009. Messi set up teammate Andres Iniesta to score an equaliser that sent the Spanish giants through to the Champions League final, despite Luiz Felipe Scolari's side having several clear-cut penalties turned down by referee Tom Henning Ovrebo.
Speaking to GOAL in 2020, Cole revealed that it wasn't solely down to him that Messi didn't notch a goal against Chelsea when they came head-to-head, stating that it was a team effort.
"When it came to stopping players like him, we had a great team understanding and togetherness at Chelsea," Cole claimed. "Our midfield was integral in that regard. It certainly wasn't just me. I wasn't blowing my trumpet there by pointing that out."
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Despite the fact that Cole opted for Messi over Ronaldo, the Portuguese legend did give his former rival his flowers, naming him as his toughest ever opponent.
Speaking back in 2016, the 39-year-old revealed that he never had an easy game against Cole, describing the former Chelsea man as being 'tenacious', stating: "Over the years, I had some great battles with Ashley Cole, he does not give you a second to breathe. He was such a tenacious player when he was at his peak, quick, tough in the tackle. You knew it would never be an easy game."
The former full-back would go on to be complimentary of the ex-Manchester United star, describing the pair's mutual respect for one another:
"Over the years, Cristiano Ronaldo and I had some mighty battles and we have a mutual respect for each other. He came to the Premier League as a little bit of an unknown, but he soon understood what it took to be a top player.
"He was willing to learn and adapt. He wanted to be the best player in the world and became a machine. He had everything. He could dribble, he could sprint behind, he could leap and jump and head a ball, he could go inside, he could go outside.
"So I say he always gave me nightmares, but you try to work each other out and we got the best of each other at times. Whenever I hear his name or see his face, I always think of when he made me do the splits!"
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 28/11/2024