Mesut Ozil Makes Surprise Pick When ‘Settling’ Ronaldo and Messi GOAT Debate
EX-Real Madrid and Arsenal star Mesut Özil had a surprising response when asked to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Despite both players nearing the end of their careers, they have dominated football for nearly two decades, amassing 13 Ballon d’Or titles combined and fueling the endless debate over the greatest of all time
When Özil, who spent three years as Ronaldo’s teammate at Real Madrid, was asked to choose between the two, his answer was unexpected.
Ozil on Ronaldo vs Messi
The former Germany international, of Turkish descent, responded with a smile: “Arda Güler.”
Özil previously played alongside Güler at Fenerbahçe before the young midfielder made his move to Real Madrid.
Although Guler shone at this summer’s European Championships, the 19-year-old has struggled to secure a regular spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting lineup over the past year.
In the past, Ozil has openly favoured Ronaldo over Messi. In a Q&A on X back in January 2021, he wrote:
“Messi has proven himself to be one of the best ever in Spain, but Ronaldo was always the best in every country he’s played in!” adding a winking emoji for good measure.”
Two years later, Ozil told Marca:
“Playing with Cristiano Ronaldo was a lot of fun. For me, he is the best player of all time. We understood each other perfectly on the pitch – I assisted, and he scored. Passing to a player who almost never missed was a gift.”
