Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has taken an unorthodox approach to settling the never-ending debate that pits Lionel Messi against Cristiano Ronaldo.
Klopp mentioned how he took a picture with Messi despite Ronaldo also being around at the time. This seemed to imply that the current Liverpool manager prefers the Argentine superstar over the current Manchester United forward.
Speaking at the LFC Foundation Gala, Jurgen Klopp said (via LFCTV on Twitter):
“I only have one selfie on my smartphone. That’s with Messi. Cristiano (Ronaldo) was in the room as well.”
Klopp believes that the outright best player to ever play football was Pele. The German said the following in that regard:
“My father always told me, whatever people say in the future, Pele was the best. I met him actually, when I was a pundit at the World Cup in 2006. I am not the type of guy who gets nervous but I was sweating like crazy in that moment. So, for me it was obviously Pele.”
The video of the same can be viewed below:
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have suffered massive defeats to Liverpool in recent times
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have fallen to humiliating defeats against Klopp’s Liverpool side. During the 2021-22 season, Ronaldo’s Manchester United side lost both of their Premier League games against the Reds.
United suffered an aggregate defeat of 9-0 over two league matches against Liverpool last season. The Reds secured a 5-0 victory at Old Trafford before winning 4-0 at Anfield in the return fixture earlier this year.
Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent from their defeat at Anfield due to personal reasons.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, suffered a humbling defeat against the Reds in the UEFA Champions League during the 2018-19 season. The Argentine forward was representing Barcelona when they fell to a 4-0 defeat against the Reds in the semifinals of the tournament.
The Blaugrana were leading 3-0 from the first leg which included a magnificent free-kick from Messi. However, the Catalan giants still exited the tournament following a 4-0 defeat at Anfield in the second leg. Belgian forward Divock Origi and Dutchman Georginio Wijnaldum each scored a brace on that occasion.
Klopp has attained tremendous success as Liverpool manager. The German tactician has guided the Reds to all major trophies attainable at club level barring the UEFA Europa League.