Ronaldo or Messi : Finally! Ex-CAFPOTY settles GOAT debate

Ronaldo or Messi : Finally! Ex-CAFPOTY settles GOAT debate

Hassan Abdulsalam 16:04 - 25.01.2025

Emmanuel Adebayor has added his voice to the endless GOAT debate between Messi and Ronaldo.

Former African Player of the Year, Emmanuel Adebayor has shared his view on the ongoing debate about who the "greatest player of all time" (GOAT) is between Ronaldo and Messi.

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The debate is commonly centred on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Argentina legend Lionel Messi | Imago

Adebayor settles GOAT debate

The former Arsenal, Manchester City, and Real Madrid striker, who shared the pitch with Ronaldo during a six-month loan spell at Real Madrid in 2011, has firmly declared his support for the Portuguese star.

Adebayor told Adamo De Nigris in an interview when asked if Ronaldo was the greatest.

Ronaldo and Adebayor playing for Real Madrid

“For me, yes. Most goals scored in a UCL final, the best scorer in the world, most goals scored in a Champions League semi-final & quarter-final. Do you want me to mention them? There are too many.”

Rafael van der Vaart and Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid | Imago

Adebayor considered it an honour to have played alongside Ronaldo, even for a short period.

“For me to have a chance to play with him, even though it was only six months. He knows the respect I have for his mentality, for the person. The character he has. He always wanted to be the best. For me, that was unbelievable,” he added.

The Togolese striker also shared a humorous anecdote from his first training session at Real Madrid, illustrating Ronaldo's unwavering commitment.

“When I first signed in Madrid, we all knew Cristiano was a professional, he’s always on time,” Adebayor recalled.

Wanting to make a strong first impression, he arrived at the training ground earlier than expected.

“They said to me, that training is supposed to start at 10:30, but he can get there around 9:30. So, I said, this is my first session, I cannot be late. So let me go around 8:40, 8:45,” Adebayor explained.

Emmanuel Adebayor won the African Footballer of the Year award in 2008, making him the first Togolese player to win the prestigious award.

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