Angel Di Maria explains why he thinks Messi is better than Ronaldo
- Angel Di Maria believes Lionel Messi is ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo because of his natural talent and ability
- The former Argentina winger says Ronaldo's achievements were built on extraordinary hard work, while Messi's qualities come more naturally
- Di Maria is one of the few players to have shared a dressing room with both superstars, having played with Messi for Argentina and Ronaldo at Real Madrid
Former Argentina star Ángel Di María will watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup from home after retiring from international football before the tournament.
Ahead of the competition, the Argentine icon was asked to give his view on the long-running debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two players widely regarded as among the greatest footballers of all time.
Di Maria made it clear that, in his opinion, Messi has the advantage over Ronaldo, citing the Argentine's natural ability as the key difference.
"To me, Leo is ahead of Cristiano because everything he does is completely natural, whereas Cris was all about pure hard work, day in and day out," Di Maria told France Football via the official Ballon d'Or website.
The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain winger is one of the few players uniquely positioned to compare both stars, having shared a dressing room with each during his career.
Meanwhile, Argentina continue their preparations for the World Cup. During a recent training session in Kansas City, manager Lionel Scaloni initially worked without Messi in his starting lineup as the world champions prepared for their opening match against Algeria.
Why Di Maria Gives Messi the Edge
Expanding on his view, Di Maria argued that Messi's talent is something that comes naturally, while Ronaldo's success has been built on relentless dedication and hard work.
"Cristiano pushed himself to the absolute limit just to match Messi's level, but what Leo has is a gift from God, it's completely natural," Di Maria said.
Although he favours his Argentine teammate, Di Maria was quick to stress that both players belong among football's all-time greats.
He believes Messi and Ronaldo stand alongside Diego Maradona among the greatest players the sport has ever seen, with differences between them often judged by trophies and career achievements.
Di Maria's Experience Playing Alongside Both Stars
Di Maria spent many years playing alongside Messi for Argentina, helping the national team win major honours including the World Cup and Copa America.
However, while he never played with Messi at club level, he did enjoy a successful partnership with Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid (with Cristiano Ronaldo) – 2010 to 2014
Di Maria and Ronaldo formed one of Europe's most dangerous attacking combinations under managers José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.
Di Maria famously provided the assist for Ronaldo's winning goal in the 2011 Copa del Rey final and played a crucial creative role during Real Madrid's historic 2013/14 campaign, which ended with the club winning La Decima, their 10th UEFA Champions League title.
Source: YEN.com.gh
