Argentine forward Angel Di Maria has explained why he rates Lionel Messi above Cristiano Ronaldo, drawing a contrast between innate talent and outstanding professionalism.
Having worked alongside both football greats for several years, Di Maria praised Ronaldo’s work ethic but said Messi’s natural gift was undeniable.
Ronaldo and Messi’s rivalry has defined football for nearly two decades, and it extends far beyond the pitch.
Last month, Messi unveiled a statue much larger than Ronaldo’s, giving fans of the Argentine something to brag about on social media.
Several CR7 fans swiftly countered, attributing to him the achievement of revolutionising Saudi Arabian football. Ronaldo’s scoring record, which remains out of Messi’s reach, was also mentioned.
Di Maria’s latest comments are likely to trigger another exchange on popular social networking websites.
Di Maria Explains Key Leo Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Difference
Angel Di Maria is one of the few footballers who have had the opportunity to play alongside arguably the two best players of the 21st century, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Having shared the pitch with the multiple-time Ballon d’Or winners, Di Maria considers Messi the superior of the two, owing to his natural ability. Di Maria reserved praise for Ronaldo as well, saying he learned a lot from his work ethic.
When asked if Ronaldo’s work ethic inspired him, Di Maria told Diario AS:
“Yes. In terms of professionalism, Cris is number one by a long way. The way he worked, looked after himself, and always tried to be the best while battling with Leo was admirable. But he came up in Messi’s era, and that made his goal much harder.”
The only players with multiple 40-goal seasons in Europe’s top 5 leagues:
— Lionel Messi
— Cristiano RonaldoThey both have three. pic.twitter.com/4w1PPPRgkT
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) May 2, 2025
In Messi-Ronaldo debates, Di Maria has always sided with the Argentine. Explaining his reasoning, Di Maria added:
“That’s because Cris was everything through work and effort to be number one, while Messi, sitting in the dressing room drinking mate, would then show he had a gift God gave him to be the best.”
Di Maria Stats With Messi and Ronaldo
Di Maria played with Lionel Messi at the 2008 Olympic Games (5 games), the Argentina senior team (112), and Paris Saint-Germain (24). Across 141 games in all competitions, the pair combined for 16 goals. He provided nine assists to Messi and got the return on seven occasions.
The pair won an Olympic gold, a Ligue 1 title, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, among other honours.
Di Maria played more games with Ronaldo, sharing the pitch 166 times during their time together at Real Madrid (2010–2014). The ex-Los Blancos stars combined for 28 goals. Ronaldo assisted Di Maria three times and scored from 25 of his deliveries.
During their four seasons at Real Madrid, they won one LaLiga title, one UEFA Champions League, and two Copas del Rey.
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