‘I can’t disagree’ – Ronaldo fan Son Heung-min finally bows to Messi as the GOAT

Son Heung-min has spent much of his career openly declaring Cristiano Ronaldo his football idol, but the South Korean superstar has now given Lionel Messi the ultimate compliment.

Despite his unwavering admiration for the Portuguese icon, Son admitted that Messi’s extraordinary career makes it difficult to argue against his claim to being the greatest of all time.

Ronaldo has been a major influence on Son since his childhood in South Korea. The forward closely followed the Portuguese star during his first spell at Manchester United, where he played alongside Korean legend Park Ji-sung.

Inspired by Ronaldo’s explosive style, dribbling ability and ruthless finishing, Son studied countless clips of his idol and tried to reproduce those qualities himself.

That admiration continued throughout his rise in Germany and his remarkable decade at Tottenham Hotspur. Son has often spoken about Ronaldo’s extraordinary discipline, physical conditioning and commitment to training, qualities that influenced his own approach to the game.

His dream of sharing the pitch with Ronaldo finally came true at the 2022 FIFA World Cup when South Korea faced Portugal.

Even after moving on from Tottenham and beginning a new chapter with Los Angeles FC, Son has remained a devoted Ronaldo supporter. However, when asked to assess Messi’s standing among football’s all-time greats, the 34-year-old found himself conceding ground to another icon.

“I’ve always said Cristiano Ronaldo is my idol, still. He’s 41, and he looks 20, and he shows how much love [he has] for football, the passion. But I can’t change these things, Lionel Messi, wow. Probably I would say he’s the GOAT. I can’t disagree with this; he’s probably the best player ever.”

For a player whose admiration for Ronaldo has been so deeply rooted, Son’s admission carries plenty of weight. The debate over Messi and Ronaldo may never truly end, but even one of Ronaldo’s biggest admirers appears willing to give Messi the crown.