Piers Morgan, the outspoken English broadcaster, has sparked debate among football fans by ranking Lionel Messi 5th in his top 5 greatest players of the 21st century. According to Morgan, four players rank above the Argentine icon, who has dominated world football since scoring his first goal for Barcelona in November 2003.
Morgan’s top 4 includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, and Ronaldinho, with the latter two likely influenced by the broadcaster’s admiration for the French and Brazilian legends. Ronaldo, who has been a dominant force for nearly two decades, leaves no doubt in Morgan’s eyes about his status as the greatest footballer of the modern era. The Portuguese superstar has left his mark at various clubs, including Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, before moving to Al-Nassr.
Morgan’s reasoning for ranking Messi 5th behind his top 4 is not explicitly stated in the source material, but it is clear that the Argentine’s unparalleled success has not convinced the broadcaster. Messi owns a record eight Ballon d’Or awards and has over 800 career goals, but he still falls short of Morgan’s top four. ESPN’s ranking of the top 25 footballers of the century placed Messi first, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane, and Luka Modric, among others. However, Morgan’s opinion is not aligned with this ranking, and it will be interesting to see how fans and pundits react to his take on the greatest players of the 21st century.
It’s worth noting that Ronaldo Nazario, a Brazilian icon, has weighed in on the debate, acknowledging Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable achievements but stopping short of calling him the greatest of all time. Ronaldo’s response was unexpected, and it will be interesting to see how other football legends and fans react to the debate about the greatest players of the 21st century.
The debate about the greatest players of the 21st century is far from over, and Piers Morgan’s opinion has added fuel to the fire. As the discussion continues, fans and pundits will be eager to see how other football legends and experts weigh in on the topic.
Source: Yen Sports