While some regard Lionel Messi as the greatest soccer player ever, others opt for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Ronaldo-Messi GOAT debate has been around since their first encounter in La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid for a then-world record transfer fee of over $85 million.
As expected, players, pundits, and fans have had their say in the debate over time. Despite playing for Argentina, United youngster Alejandro Garnacho has always maintained that his idol is Cristiano Ronaldo, which, according to Rio Ferdinand, led to Lionel Messi unfollowing the youngster on social media for not being as loyal to him as other Argentinian players are.
Lionel Messi unfollowed Garnacho over Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT praise
Players like Ronaldo and Messi are the perfect role models for young soccer stars all across the globe. The things they’ve achieved at the highest level of the sport make them impossible to overlook when choosing whose footsteps to follow. Even world-class players like Harry Kane still want to achieve the kind of longevity they’ve both achieved throughout their careers.
For Alejandro Garnacho, that player will always be Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2004-born forward joined Manchester United from Atletico Madrid to forge his own legacy at the club, just as Ronaldo did. Having joined in 2020, Garnacho had his breakout season in Cristiano Ronaldo’s final stint at the club, scoring his first goal from an assist from his idol.
His call-up to the senior squad of the Argentina national team did not stop him from continuing to exalt Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol, which obviously pissed off Lionel Messi, who quickly unfollowed him on Instagram as a result.
This was recently exposed by Rio Ferdinand, who claimed Messi unfollowed Garnacho because he continues to declare Cristiano Ronaldo as the GOAT despite being his international teammate, unlike many other Argentinian players.
What did Garnacho do to enrage Lionel Messi?
Lionel Messi’s stock in Argentina has risen since lifting the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. That glorious triumph cemented his place as the greatest player in the country’s history, so a god-like treatment is almost inevitable, especially in Argentina. However, one person who doesn’t feel the same is Garnacho, who continues to stand by his claim that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best soccer player in history.
Last year, Garnacho posted a picture of himself and Ronaldo on Instagram with the caption, “Greatest of all times.” This did not sit well with Sergio Aguero, Messi’s long-time friend, who commented on the young boy’s post, saying, “Because you have not played with Leo Messi yet.”
Even when Garnacho scored a Ronaldo-esque bicycle kick against Everton on Sunday, it was the famous “Siuuu” celebration he did to celebrate his goal. This continues to show how much influence Ronaldo has on the youngster.
Will Lionel Messi fully accept Garnacho’s choice of following in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps rather than his?
