Hip-hop legend Rick Ross settles GOAT debate between Messi and Ronaldo

Hip-hop mogul Rick Ross officially waded into football's eternal "G.O.A.T." debate, definitively selecting Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Ross made the comments during a recent appearance on The Late Run podcast hosted by Chad Ochocinco, a retired American football wide receiver turned podcaster.

Ochocinco drew Ross into the debate, asking him to pick the superior player between Messi and Ronaldo. The 'Hustlin'' crooner picked Messi, too.

For Ross, whose deep ties to South Florida are famously immortalised by his debut album Port of Miami, the choice ultimately came down to what he described as "Dade County loyalty." 

The rapper emphasised how the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has completely revolutionised the city's sporting culture since his mid-2023 arrival, noting that Messi's impact is unlike anything he has ever witnessed. 

“As a Dade County hustler, anything Dade County better than anything anywhere else. So, salute to Ronaldo, but I rock with Messi,” Ross said.

Having famously attended Inter Miami matches as a personal guest of co-owner David Beckham, which marked Ross's first-ever live football experience, the hip-hop icon has seen firsthand how Messi transformed standard MLS fixtures into massive, star-studded cultural phenomena typical of American sports.

Messi has single-handedly lifted Inter Miami from the bottom of the league standings to capture the franchise's first-ever trophies, leading them to the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters' Shield, and the monumental 2025 MLS Cup.