The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has taken another twist at the 2026 World Cup.
While there is no animosity between Messi and Ronaldo, the same cannot be said for their respective fan bases.
The majority of football fans believe Messi is the greatest football player ever, but Ronaldo’s passionate supporters refuse to accept this.
The GOAT debate has become more one-sided at the World Cup, with Argentina reaching the quarter-finals and Portugal eliminated in the Round of 16.
However, the Messi vs Ronaldo debate will remain a hot topic, as football fans will never fully agree on one side of the argument.
The two legends have now been compared to two golfing greats, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Soccer fans compare Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson
Golf journalist Kyle Porter asked his social media followers to “explain the Messi-Ronaldo dynamic/rivalry in golf terms.”
Surprisingly, the majority of responses referenced the same golfing rivalry between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
“It’s Tiger v Phil, with Messi being Tiger, just clearly better in every sense, but some will simp for Ronaldo the same as Phil,” read one comment.
Another wrote: “Messi = Tiger: Never seen anything like it at his peak. Ronaldo = Phil: really good, probably in the top ten all-time. Ronaldo isn’t even the best Ronaldo.”
“Messi = Tiger or Scottie. Cristiano Ronaldo = Phil. As simple as that,” an X user shared the same opinion.
One follower also offered golf comparisons for two more football icons: Diego Maradona and Pele.
“Messi is Tiger, and Ronaldo is Phil Mickelson. Maradona is Jack Nicklaus. Pele is Arnold Palmer,” they said.
While the gap between Messi and Ronaldo is not as significant as the gap between Woods and Mickelson, it is a reasonable comparison.
Messi and Woods both win their respective debates in terms of trophies, awards, and the eye test.
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