Messi vs Ronaldo: Super Eagles star Adams picks side after World Cup performance

Messi, who recently celebrated his 39th birthday, has been in sensational form, scoring a hat-trick in his opening match against Algeria.

He surpassed Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup goal record and followed this up with a brace against Austria, earning widespread acclaim.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo, now 41, faced heavy criticism after Portugal's lacklustre 1-1 draw with DR Congo, but he silenced his critics with a two-goal performance against Uzbekistan, emphatically celebrating with a shout of "I'm back."

The long-standing debate over who is the greater footballer, Ronaldo or Messi, has dominated the sport since 2007. 

Even as their illustrious careers approach their twilight, the argument continues with renewed vigour during the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Amidst the renewed debate, Nigerian and Sevilla striker Adams has seemingly shown his allegiance to one of them.

Interestingly, in a previous interview with Sporty TV, Adams had declined to choose between Messi and Cristiano, instead naming another legend as his idol.

"Honestly, there's no player I fancy like Ronaldo Nazario. For me, he's the best football player I have watched," the former Montpellier striker stated. "I feel something when I watch him, and he is the greatest of all time for me."

However, following Messi's stellar performances, Adams took to social media to post a picture of himself embracing Cristiano Ronaldo, a gesture widely interpreted as a show of support for the Al-Nassr forward.

The two players had an on-pitch exchange during a pre-tournament friendly between Nigeria and Portugal. 

As the tournament progresses, both Messi's Argentina and Ronaldo's Portugal have successfully advanced to the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup, keeping the prospect of a potential showdown alive.