Snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan previously shared his thoughts on the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo debate that has dominated football for almost two decades
Snooker great Ronnie O'Sullivan casually settled the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi debate with typical aplomb. As 'The Rocket' aims to achieve sporting immortality as he strives for a record eighth World Snooker Championship title, he previously weighed in on the rivalry between two of football's all-time greats.
'The Rocket', boasting a trophy cabinet with a staggering 41 ranking titles and an impressive haul of 23 Triple Crown wins, is neck and neck with Stephen Hendry for world championship triumphs. He's reached the quarter-finals in his return to the Crucible this year, currently leading Si Jiahui 10-6 ahead of tonight’s session, with the semi-finals firmly in his sights.
However, the snooker icon previously gave his succinct verdict on the difference between Messi and Ronaldo. The topic has generated much discussion since both ascended to the top of the sport, but it was seemingly an easy choice for O'Sullivan, who sided with Messi.
In 2018, during an exchange on X, O'Sullivan stated his preference for Messi over Ronaldo, posting: "Right here it is, if we could all choose how to play football, we would all choose to play like Messi, end of story."
This wasn't O'Sullivan's first comment on the subject. The snooker maestro had earlier declared: "I'm a Messi fan, once you watch Messi, there is no point watching the other stuff, it's all downhill from Messi."
Snooker legend O'Sullivan shared his adoration for Messi on social media as far back as 2011, hailing the Barcelona legend a "genius" and openly branding himself "a Messi supporter". Even so, when reeling off a list of sporting greats two years later, O'Sullivan did include Ronaldo.
Speaking to the Daily Star in 2020, O'Sullivan questioned Lewis Hamilton's feats in Formula One being compared with those of other sporting stars. "I just think sport is where there is no advantage," O'Sullivan argued. "I wouldn't have felt as good about my career in snooker if I had been playing on a table where the pockets I was using were bigger than my opponents.
"If you have a car that is going a second a lap quicker than the other cars, in theory all he has to beat is his team-mate [Valtteri] Bottas - who seems to be happy playing second fiddle. If your car is going around quicker you can afford to make a few mistakes and still get away with it. It's a bit like driving around smoking a cigar with one finger on the wheel!
"It doesn't mean as much as say a sport like tennis with [Roger] Federer playing everyone on a level playing field, or [Eliud] Kipchoge running against everyone on a level playing field. So for me, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Phil Taylor in darts, Tiger Woods, Messi, Ronaldo... it's there to see."
Ronaldo has evolved his style over time, transitioning from the talented young player who signed with Manchester United to an experienced forward who holds the record for the most goals scored in the sport, totalling over 900 for club and country.
Messi and Ronaldo are nearing the end of their illustrious careers, having moved to Inter Miami and Al-Nassr, respectively.
In contrast, the snooker legend has made it to the world championship quarter-finals after recently ending his hiatus from the sport.
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