Football legend Ángel Di María has officially weighed in on the eternal debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, selecting his long-time international teammate Messi as the more exceptional player.
The winger possesses a rare perspective on the rivalry, having won the La Décima UEFA Champions League title alongside Ronaldo at Real Madrid and later playing a pivotal role in helping Messi secure the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy. Having recently retired from international football, Di María will watch from the sidelines as both aging icons prepare to contend for the 2026 World Cup this summer.
Reflecting on his firsthand experiences with both superstars, Di María articulated the core differences in their greatness. He characterized Cristiano Ronaldo as the ultimate personification of tireless effort, unyielding daily work, and an intense aspiration to reach the highest peak. In contrast, he described Messi as a player blessed with pure inherent talent a divine gift that required no external benchmarking.
Ronaldo’s work ethic leveled the playing field, says winger
In an exclusive interview published on the official Ballon d’Or website, Di María explained that Ronaldo’s sheer determination is what allowed him to match, and at times surpass, Messi’s natural abilities over the years. This legendary work ethic is the exact reason the Portuguese forward was able to claim numerous Ballon d’Or awards of his own. Di María recalled a specific era in football history where public debates constantly raged over whether the prestigious individual award should favor the UEFA Champions League winner or the season’s top goalscorer.
“Cristiano was the personification of relentless effort, day in and day out… Always aiming to match Leo Messi, who had pure natural talent, a divine gift. The other one (Cristiano) was dedicated to unyielding work to equal him and, at times, surpass him.”
While the Argentine winger highly praised Ronaldo’s exceptional, unmatched commitment to his craft, he ultimately gave the edge to Messi. Di María concluded that while it remains a distinct honor to have shared the pitch with both titans of the modern game, Messi stands alone as the superior footballer simply because the Inter Miami forward never needed to overexert himself to compete at the absolute highest level.
