Gary Lineker has disputed Sir Alex Ferguson's controversial claim that Cristiano Ronaldo could succeed anywhere unlike Lionel Messi, who is simply a " Barcelona product".
The legendary Manchester United manager's comments are from 2015 but have resurfaced in the wake of Messi's recent struggles at Paris Saint-Germain as the French giants were knocked out of the Champions League. The French giants suffered an embarrassing collapse against Real Madrid as the Argentine was unable to make a significant impact over the course of the tie.
That's been the common theme throughout his debut season at the Parc des Princes as the Barcelona icon has failed to replicate the form he showed on a consistent basis at the Nou Camp. Many believe the 'greatest all of time' debate between Messi and Ronaldo has now shifted in favour of the Portugal star, prompting Ferguson's old comments to re-emerge.
Fergie claimed that Messi was just a "Barcelona product" who couldn't reproduce what he did for the Spanish club at Millwall, QPR, Doncaster Rovers, unlike Ronaldo. Sir Alex has previously backed Ronaldo as the greatest ever to play the game given their close relationship, as Ferguson brought the 37-year-old to Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon as a teenager in 2003.
"People say who is the best player in the world? And plenty of people quite rightly say Messi - you can't dispute that opinion," Ferguson said in April 2015. "Cristiano Ronaldo could play for Millwall, QPR, Doncaster Rovers… anyone, and score a hat-trick in one game. I'm not sure Messi can do it. I think Messi is a Barcelona product."
Does Sir Alex Ferguson have a point in his comments about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi? Comment below
Lineker has now hit out at the Old Trafford hero's stance, claiming the comment is "nonsensical." The Match of the Day host has highlighted Messi's efforts in leading Argentina to the Copa America last summer to back up his point.
He tweeted: "This is nonsensical. I know we don’t tend to look beyond these shores very much, and I’m sure Sir Alex is being supportive of one of his own, but even as recently as this summer, Messi almost single-handedly won the Copa America for Argentina. They're both greats."
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