Messi or Ronaldo: Who Wins the Player of the Century Race?

Argentine star Lionel Messi has surpassed Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo in a new race. ESPN selected Messi, former Barcelona star and currently with Inter Miami, as the best football player of the 21st century. Ronaldo, former Real Madrid star and currently with Al Nassr, came in second place. French players Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane ranked third and fourth respectively. Real Madrid stars Luka Modrić and Kylian Mbappé occupied the fifth and sixth places. The seventh and eighth positions went to former Barcelona stars, Spaniards Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández, respectively. Brazilian Ronaldo Nazário, "the phenomenon," appeared in ninth place, followed by his compatriot Ronaldinho. Lionel Messi, now with Inter Miami, has become the most decorated player in the world (45 titles) after winning the Copa América 2024 with the Argentine national team for the second consecutive time. He is also the record holder for the Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world, with a total of 8 wins.