The debate over who is the greatest footballer on the planet seems endless whenever the names Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned. The truth is, up to this point, there has often been a narrative favoring the Portuguese star due to his physical attributes and his consistent sharing of the work ethic that keeps him in peak physical condition.

In this context, and in an effort to give more credit to the Argentine, Dutch legend Marco van Basten has come out to dismiss claims that Cristiano “works harder” than Messi, doing so in a heated GOAT debate with Ruud Gullit.

Van Basten’s Statements on Messi vs. Cristiano

The Dutch football legends don’t see eye to eye when it comes to deciding who is the best. While Gullit praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s work ethic, Van Basten countered by arguing that without hard work, perhaps equal to that of the Portuguese, Messi wouldn’t be where he is today.

“Messi or Ronaldo? Look, I think Cristiano Ronaldo is a pure idol for any kid because of how hard he worked. Lionel Messi is simply a natural phenomenon, like [Diego] Maradona. But Ronaldo really worked very hard,” Gullit said on Ziggo Sport.

To which Van Basten responded: “Ronaldo worked hard, but do people forget that Messi is still playing football? The man is 38 years old. He lives for his sport just as much as Ronaldo and worked just as hard. Because you can’t be as good as Messi at 38 without working hard.”

Will Messi Miss the World Cup?

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has once again raised doubts about his participation in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Inter Miami forward admitted that, because of his age, it is unlikely he will play, although he clarified that he still feels motivated and eager to continue representing La Albiceleste.

“The same thing I said before: I don’t think I’ll play another World Cup. Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t make it, but I’m excited, motivated, and, as I’ve always said, I take it day by day, game by game. Today was the last one here,” Messi said after Argentina’s 3-0 win over Venezuela in Buenos Aires, in which he scored twice.

The 2022 World Cup champion in Qatar stressed that his decision will depend on how he feels physically: “The priority is to feel good and be honest with myself. When I enjoy being on the field, I want to keep going, but if I don’t feel right, I prefer not to be there.”

Messi, who could play in his sixth World Cup, made it clear he does not want to force a premature farewell, although he acknowledged the toll of time: “Sometimes I feel good, sometimes not so much, and it depends a lot on that. Nine months go by quickly, but at the same time, it’s a long stretch. I’ll see how I feel.”

Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina will close out World Cup qualifying against Ecuador in Guayaquil, already having secured first place in the South American standings.