‘We knew how to handle Ronaldo but couldn’t stop Messi – there’s no comparison’
Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo is a constant war that dates back almost two decades – and John Obi Mikel has picked his side in the fight.
The former Chelsea star and two-time Premier League champion had the pleasure – depending on how you look at it – of playing against both world-beaters during his career. And his experiences left him in no doubt as to whom was the better player out of Barcelona icon Messi or Real Madrid legend Ronaldo.
"For me, Messi," replied 36-year-old Mikel during a recent appearance on Rio Ferdinand's Vibe with Five podcast. "Messi was the guy.
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"When we played against [Manchester] United when Cristiano was there, we knew, 'Okay, Ash [Ashley Cole] will deal with him. He is capable of dealing with him.' But every time it was against Barcelona – oh, my god – training the whole week was about Messi.
"We have to have two, three players with him, you can't defend one vs one against him. It's impossible. You're dead."
Mikel – who retired from football in September 2022 – ensured to highlight the fact he intended no disrespect to Ferdinand's former team-mate given all Ronaldo, 38, has achieved. However, he went on to say he 'doesn't see the comparison' between the two players, adding 36-year-old Messi "is from a different planet."
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"I just think he is that good," added the 91-cap former Nigeria international. "The game plan was just to kick him because we can't get the ball off him or get close enough.
"If you think he is there, he is gone. You can watch our games when we played them. JT [John Terry] is tackling, Frankie's [Frank Lampard] tackling, I'm tackling, everybody's putting in tackles. That's the only way we could stop him."
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As if to put an exclamation mark on the argument, Messi recently expanded his collection of Ballon d'Or titles to eight after winning the World Cup with Argentina last year. The Inter Miami phenomenon was already considerably ahead of five-time winner Ronaldo, who has seen his production surge again since joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia's Pro League.
Even the words of one with significant experience against the two best players of this era won't be enough to convince the staunchest of Ronaldo's disciples. But for others, Mikel's comments will serve as further proof as to who comes out on top in one of the fiercest debates in football.
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