Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Indian Captain Sunil Chhetri Picks His Favourite Between Two Greats
Sunil Chettri is spending his time with his family in Bengaluru and during an interview with Sportstar, the Indian captain put an end to the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. ‘In fact, even before this interview I was stretching and was watching a Messi video. And that really lifts me up. If anyone in the world is sad, just put on Messi video and he’ll be happy’.
Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is the everlasting debate on modern football and several fans, players and pundits have voiced their opinions on who they think is the better of the two behemoths. India’s most capped footballer, Sunil Chhetri is the latest to pick his favourite between the two giants and the 35-year-old has sided with the Barcelona star. The Indian captain has stood toe-to-toe with the two greats as he is the second-highest scorer at the international stage after Ronaldo with Messi two behind him. Sunil Chhetri Confident of Beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at Carrom.
Sunil Chettri is spending his time in quarantine with his family in Bengaluru and during a recent interview with Sportstar, the Indian captain put an end to the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. ‘In fact, even before this interview I was stretching and was watching a Messi video. And that really lifts me up. If anyone in the world is sad, just put on Messi video and he’ll be happy’ he said. Sunil Chhetri Joins Lionel Messi for FIFA 2020 Campaign Against Coronavirus Pandemic.
‘I love to follow Cristiano Ronaldo, too. For me, it’s a very good example of how much hard work he puts in. When it’s learning, I follow Ronaldo’s stuff more but I just enjoy watching Messi. The kind of goals he scores, his dribbles, his nutmegs, his understanding of the game, his touches are unbelievable,’ Chhetri continued.
When asked who he thinks is a more complete player Chhetri said ‘If you say that, then I will say Ronaldo. I mean it’s close. The moment you say complete, it’s about height, heading ability, shooting with both feet, coming back to defend corners also – so in that aspect, yes, Ronaldo.’
But the Indian captain quickly added ‘But generally as a player, there’s no comparison between Messi and anyone else. He’s just a level up – he’s completely different. If you ask me who affects the game more, it has to be Messi. The build-up play, the passes, the assists, and understanding. The value of him in Barcelona or Argentina gives him a little edge over Ronaldo. I think he’s the best player.’
The Indian captain plays for Bengaluru in the Indian Super League and recently revealed that he would love to represent Royal Challengers Bangalore if he gets a chance to play in the IPL. ‘I’m a Bangalore boy. That should answer your question,’ said Chhetri.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2020 04:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).