Argentina icon Hugo Gatti has explained why he favours “limited” Cristiano Ronaldo over countryman Lionel Messi in the long-running GOAT debate.

For many, especially those in South America, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is the greatest player to have ever laced up a pair of boots. His exploits, which include a World Cup triumph, are considered to have cemented a standing at the very top of the global game.

Gatti, though, has questioned Messi’s reluctance to leave Barcelona when operating at the peak of his powers and considers MLS – where Messi has earned MVP honours in 2024 – to be inferior to the Saudi Pro League that Portuguese superstar Ronaldo currently competes in.

Legendary former goalkeeper Gatti has told La Nacion of Messi, who remains captain of Argentina at 37 years of age: “Today, he’s already one less. He’s playing country-club soccer in the United States.”

Gatti added on siding with Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo in the divisive GOAT discussion: “It’s tougher playing there. Everyone plays there. They chase you; they’ll kill you. Cristiano, even limited, is a phenomenon. Limited, he’s better than Messi. And he’s limited because he doesn’t have Messi’s natural talent, but he played for the best teams in the world. Where did Messi play? Barca and the Argentina national team. Messi never challenged himself by playing for other teams, in other countries. And he had the opportunities, you know?”

Messi did spend two years with Paris Saint-Germain before heading to America, with it during that time at Parc des Princes that he got to work with a player that Gatti considers to be the best in the world right now – France international Kylian Mbappe. He added: “Did you see what he did in the World Cup final? It was Mbappe against Argentina. He’s a phenomenon. He’s sharp and has Pele’s demeanour. Right now, he’s not doing as well, but what do you expect? Real Madrid is the biggest testing ground in the world.”

Mbappe has started to find form at Real, with the goals beginning to flow, while Ronaldo is enjoying the winter break in Saudi Arabia and Messi is counting down the days to the 2025 campaign with Inter Miami in the United States.