Former Real Madrid and Manchester United playmaker Angel Di Maria has reacted to the claims made by Cristiano Ronaldo on who should be named the best football player of all time.
The GOAT conversation has been in existence for the past few years with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the biggest names being mentioned. However, Ronaldo in a latest interview gave reasons why he should be regarded as the greatest football player of time.
Di Maria is one of the few players who have had the privilege of calling both Ronaldo and Messi his team-mates. Having played with both players, the Argentine has now revealed who is the greatest among the duo.
The 36-year-old was not surprised to hear Ronaldo’s claims but believes that Messi’s numbers speak for themselves and make it clear the Argentine is the best ever.
Angel Di Maria played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
In an interview with InfoBae for their series ‘Mi Seleccion’, Di Maria was asked about Ronaldo’s claims and said: “I’m not surprised, I was with him [Ronaldo] for four years. It was always like that. He always made those statements, he always tried to be the best, but well, he was born in a generation, just at a bad time, because another one was born who was touched by the magic wand [Messi].
“The reality is shown in numbers. One has eight Ballons d’Or, the other five. There is a very big difference. Being a world champion is another very big difference, having two Copa Americas. There are many differences, many. And then you see him in the games, you see it in every minute of every game, that one plays as if he were in the backyard. He hits the same goal as always and keeps doing it. And he’s been doing it for 18, 20 years.
Lionel Messi celebrates with Angel Di Maria after scoring the team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Argentina and Ecuador. (Photo by Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)
“How long has he been doing the same thing? And everyone says, ‘but you already know what he’s going to do,’ well, go mark him and he’ll do it anyway and he’ll still be 40 years old and still do tiki-taka, tiki-taka. That’s how it is. But, well, Cristiano is like that too. He always made statements that way. It was always the same.
“For me, Leo [Messi] is the best in the world and the best in history, without a doubt.”
Di Maria played with Ronaldo from 2010 to 2014 at Real Madrid and the duo helped Los Blancos achieve their long-awaited 10th Champions League trophy, La Decima.
On the other hand, Di Maria has played with Messi since the pair were youths and the two were team-mates for Argentina before the winger called time on his career with La Albiceleste; having won three trophies, including the 2022 World Cup.
