Messi and Ronaldo are no longer world’s best players, says Gary Neville

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are without a doubt two of the greatest footballers to have ever graced the sport.

The Argentine wizard and the Portuguese superstar have broken countless records during their glittering careers, with both scoring a combined total of 1,368 competitive goals.

During that time, they have sparked one of the biggest debates in football history, with fans far and wide coming together to argue who the best player in the world is.

And whether your allegiances are with team Messi or team Ronaldo, it’s safe to say we are fortunate to have been able to watch both footballers dominate in the modern era.

As Rio Ferdinand once aptly told BT Sport: “People try and make comparisons about who’s better, but just enjoy them, man.”

While both are nearing the twilight of their careers, Ferdinand is perhaps right; football fans may want to focus more on savouring the brilliance of both Ballon d’Or winners for as long as they can.

And that has been made even clearer by Gary Neville, who has claimed that while the pair continue to play at the top level, they are no longer the best players in the world.

He told Sky Sports: “We may see cameos or a little swansong here and there, but there is no doubt that Ronaldo and Messi are coming to the end of their careers.

“At this moment in time, for the first time in years, if you asked people which player in the world they would sign if they could only pick one, no one would say Messi or Ronaldo, they would likely say Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Robert Lewandowski.“You would be naming players other than Ronaldo and Messi, and that is the clearest sign that, while these two are still operating at the highest level, they are fading from the levels they