The debate over the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) in football continues, and former France international Louis Saha has weighed in, siding with Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Saha, who played alongside Ronaldo at Manchester United, praised the Portugal forward for his tactical versatility and completeness.

“I think it is a difficult question, very tricky,” Saha said. “Some will like Messi more, but I respect Cristiano more because if you want to start a new team with a bit of a hyper jet, then the first player you want is him. Whatever the situation, he doesn’t need anyone around him. Ronaldo is physically, mentally, technically, tactically more complete, in my sense of football.”

Saha, however, acknowledged Messi’s genius: “If you look at quality, this is the debate. You’ve to look at the genius Messi and respect what he has done.”

With 13 Ballon d’Or awards shared between the two, the Ronaldo vs Messi rivalry continues to divide fans, but Saha’s perspective highlights the Portugal star’s ability to impact a team all by himself—a testament to his enduring influence on the game.