In 2018, former Germany boss Joachim Low was asked to weigh in on the debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Fans, pundits, managers, and players have been a big part of the two-decade-long debate about who the best is, with many choosing sides.For the World Cup-winning coach, the only acceptable answer was the Argentine. When asked whether he would favor Messi or Ronaldo in an interview with Bild, Low said without a moment's pause (via GiveMeSport):"I would stick with Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo is sensational, a very good professional, an incredible goalscoring machine for many years, but Messi is the most complete player I have seen."Low praised not only Messi's scoring but also his creative vision and influence on matches:He is a great team player. He's provided 30 to 40 assists for the last 10 years as well as scoring around 50 goals. He's capable of leaving eight or nine players in his path and his goals always stay in your memory."Lionel Messi has claimed numerous major trophies, including four UEFA Champions League titles. With Argentina, he won the most recent edition of the FIFA World Cup in 2022. He also has the most Ballon d’Or awards, having racked up a stunning eight in his brilliant career.Cristiano Ronaldo, by contrast, has won the UEFA Champions League five times. He also remains the all-time top scorer in the competition. He is headed for 1000 career goals, having been the first player to hit the 900 mark. The Portuguese legend is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner.When Arsene Wenger refused to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano RonaldoBack in 2019, Arsene Wenger spoke on the never-ending Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. While he refused to pick sides, he inadvertently made his preference for the Argentine obvious.The former Arsenal boss appreciated the brilliance of both players, although he admitted he was "tempted a little bit more" by Messi’s creativity. Wenger explained (via GiveMeSport):“I would say that they are so good that it’s difficult to choose – in 10 footballers of the year, it’s five and five, so that shows they are really on the same level."Artistically, Messi is as well a guy who can give the final ball, so he’s maybe more a creative player than Ronaldo. Ronaldo is more a finisher, better in the air, more athletic, and Messi is the more artistic. So basically you are always tempted a little bit more by a player like Messi.”Now, in 2025, both legends are dazzling in talent outside of Europe. Lionel Messi is off to a hot start at Inter Miami. Netting 42 goals and contributing 21 assists in only 48 appearances, he’s lifted the club to heights they had never previously reached.They won their first-ever trophy - the 2023 Leagues Cup - under his legendary stewardship. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has thrived at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He has had an equally explosive impact, registering 88 goals and 19 assists in 98 appearances.