Cristiano Ronaldo's former Real Madrid teammate makes statement to Lionel Messi that won't please him

Cristiano Ronaldo might be disappointed to learn that his former Real Madrid colleague James Rodriguez has surprisingly chosen Lionel Messi as his dream teammate. Ronaldo and Rodriguez shared the pitch for three seasons at Los Blancos from 2014 to 2017.

During their time together at the Santiago Bernabeu, they won the La Liga title, two Champions League trophies and won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup twice. However, despite their joint victories, it seems the 33-year-old would have preferred to play alongside Ronaldo's long-time rival Messi.

During a quick Q&A with Spanish YouTuber Adri Contreras, Rodriguez offered some intriguing insights into his footballing prospects, but didn't hesitate to name the World Cup-winning legend as his ideal teammate.

The Colombian star was candid in his responses, saying he believed Madrid's Vinicius Jnr was currently the best player in the world and expressed his wish to play like Andres Iniesta. When asked which player he would like in his team, he unequivocally chose Messi, despite his close ties to Ronaldo.

Rodriguez isn't the only former teammate of Ronaldo to support the Argentine maestro; Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney also lent his support to Messi in the eternal debate. He explained why last year.

Rooney said: “I think Messi, I think he's just the best of all time. I get a lot of stick for saying Messi where it's like, 'How can you say Messi, c 'is Ronaldo'. They are both incredible, probably the two best.”

When it comes to answering one of sports' most enduring questions, it seems Messi is often the favorite among many current and former professionals. Manchester City midfielder and reigning Ballon d'Or holder Rodri recently told Spanish TV show El Hormiguero that Messi was his choice.

“I have no doubt about it, Messi,” he said. “In the end, I always say, Cristiano managed to match Messi in many areas, perhaps without Leo's innate talent.”

Perhaps tipping the balance in the Ronaldo versus Messi debate, an unexpected voice is that of former Spain goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez. Having faced the two legends between the posts for numerous La Liga teams, he candidly admitted his preference, calling Messi a “nightmare” and admitting he found his shots virtually impossible.

BBC Match of the Day stalwart and former England striker Gary Lineker has been a staunch defender of Messi. Totally rejecting any debate, he asserted that “there is no comparison”. Lineker added on The Rest Is Football podcast: “The only debate for me in terms of GOAT status is whether it's him or Diego Maradona.”

However, Ronaldo can count on formidable supporters. Basketball icon Kevin Durant called Ronaldo a “goat” in football, and Sir Alex Ferguson, with a deep knowledge of Ronaldo from his time at Manchester United, favored his prodigy.

Speaking in 2016, Sir Alex distinguished the two: “Don't get me wrong, Messi is a fantastic player, it's like he's wearing slippers when he controls the ball. But here, for me, it's the difference. Messi is a Barcelona.” But Ronaldo could play for Stockport County and score a hat-trick. He can shoot with both feet, head the ball, he is as brave as a lion.

Zinedine Zidane, one of Ronaldo's former managers who oversaw a golden age at Real Madrid, has weighed in on the eternal debate over football's greatest, succinctly declaring: “Cristiano is the best.”

The dispute over who reigns supreme between Ronaldo and his Argentine rival could continue even after they hang up their boots. However, the statistics lean heavily in Messi's favor; the Argentine magician has claimed an incredible eight Ballons d'Or to Ronaldo's five, eight FIFA World Player of the Year honors to Ronaldo's five and won six European Golden Boots to Ronaldo's four.

With 46 senior titles to his name, including a 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina, Messi is the most decorated player in football history, which for many settles the debate once and for all . Meanwhile, Rodriguez, who played for Bayern Munich, Everton and Porto, currently plies his trade with Leon in Mexico's Liga MX.