The debate of who is the greatest of all time (GOAT) in football has been going on for decades. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been at the center of this debate for the past decade, and the debate has only intensified in recent years.

Messi’s Instagram post after the World Cup win became the most liked on Instagram, suggesting that the Argentinian was GOAT in the eyes of social media. But a post on FIFA’s official account, which joined the debate, was slammed for “officially” elevating the Argentinian above the Portuguese.

The post in question was a photo of Messi with the caption “The Greatest of All Time”. This sparked a huge debate among football fans, with some claiming that FIFA was wrong to make such a statement.

The debate was further fueled when FIFA released a statement on 22 December 2022, saying that Messi was indeed the GOAT. The statement read: “We at FIFA believe that Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time. He has achieved incredible success on the pitch and is an inspiration to millions of football fans around the world.”

The statement was met with mixed reactions. Some praised FIFA for recognizing Messi’s greatness, while others argued that it was wrong to officially declare one player as the GOAT.

The debate over who is the GOAT in football is likely to continue for many years to come. While some may argue that Messi is the GOAT, others may argue that Ronaldo is the GOAT.

The debate has been further complicated by the emergence of other players such as Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Mohamed Salah. All of these players have achieved incredible success on the pitch and are all worthy contenders for the title of GOAT.

At the end of the day, it is up to the individual to decide who they believe is the GOAT. While FIFA may have declared Messi as the GOAT, it is ultimately up to the fans to decide who they believe is the greatest of all time.

No matter who you believe is the GOAT, one thing is for sure: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both achieved incredible success on the pitch and are both worthy contenders for the title. They have both pushed each other to be better and have set a high standard for future generations of footballers.

The debate of who is the GOAT in football is likely to continue for many years to come. While some may argue that Messi is the GOAT, others may argue that Ronaldo is the GOAT. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide who they believe is the GOAT. No matter who you believe is the GOAT, one thing is for sure: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both achieved incredible success on the pitch and are both worthy contenders for the title.