Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Sir Alex Ferguson offers his verdict on who's the world's best

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• 14:32, 22 September 2015
• By Alex Richards

The former United boss spent five years with Ronaldo under his stewardship at Old Trafford, while Messi twice condemned him to Champions League heartbreak

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Choices, choices: Ferguson has stated what he makes of Messi and Ronaldo

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are unquestionably the world's two best footballers - but in the race to be No.1, declared "Ronaldo's my boy".
Between them the pair have won the Ballon d'Or in each of the last seven years, with Argentine star Messi favourite to claim a fifth crown this year following Barcelona's treble success earlier this year.
In the last 12 months Messi has become Los Cules all-time record goalscorer, while claiming his 25th title with the Catalan giants.
Ronaldo, who spent five years under Ferguson's tutelage at Old Trafford before joining Real Madrid in 2009, is just three away from breaking Raul's goalscoring record at the Santiago Bernabeu - as well as being only one away from 500 career goals.
And when questioned about the pair, Ferguson chose to regale as to precisely what stands them so far above their peers.

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Speaking to Sky Sports News, Ferguson said: “Well, it’s an opinion obviously, there’ll be a 100 managers in the world saying ‘well my player, and my player, and my player’, whatever this exaggeration about a world class player is.
"The reason I say about Messi and Ronaldo: the consistency first of all. Their balance, their excellence on the ball, their courage, they’re never ever dented by a tackle - they get up, ‘give me the ball’.
“The goals they score, the level they’re playing at, the medals they’ve won, it only points to one thing: those two players - and I think most players, probably every one, would agree with me - these two guys are above everyone, there's no question about that.

Matthew Peters

My boy: Ferguson spent five years with Ronaldo at Old Trafford

“Fantastic to watch, and they never miss a game. They never seem to miss a game... they play all the time. They've given value to everyone in the world, they’re playing all the time”
Quizzed as to if which of the pair was the definitive No.1 Ferguson, with a smile, responded: “Ronaldo’s my boy”.