In the ‘endless GOAT debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, new Al Nassr manager Stefano Pioli has given his take on the issue, sending the fans into a frenzy of excitement.
Following the sacking of the early coach Luis Castro, the club appointed Pioli as their manager. Pioli announced Ronaldo as his choice for GOAT. He said that one of the incredible things he had seen in Ronaldo’s career was that he scored more goals rather than games played.
Pioli’s selection came after Al Nassr defeated Al Ettifaq 3-0 convincingly, as Ronaldo scored his 902nd career goal. The match was the first from Pioli in charge, hence meaning the beginning of a new era in the Riyadh-based club.
Ronaldo instantly made an impact as he scored via a penalty in the first half that sent fans into jubilation. Celebrating the goal, the Portuguese superhero paid respect to his son Ronaldo Jr., who scored two goals for Al Nassr’s youth team earlier on in the same day.
Yet, Messi-long considered Ronaldo’s greatest counterpart-has just returned from leading the Argentinian win in Qatar 2022 into the record books; for many fans, this settles the issue of who is really GOAT. But head coach Pioli remains convinced that what sets Ronaldo apart is a goal-scoring record second to none, along with the continued success at 39 years of age.
With an already glittering career decorated with five Ballon d’Or titles, Ronaldo is well on course to reach his next milestone-1,000 goals before retirement. Not that he shows any signs of slowing down, with 50 goals last season and a Saudi Pro League Golden Boot. Meanwhile, as the world debates on, the two careers of Ronaldo and Messi have gained so much importance that they have crossed the boundaries of sport, preserving magic in individual generations of fans, and opening an endless discussion about who holds the true GOAT in football.
Will Ronaldo go through and reach 1,000 goals, or will Messi add to an already illustrious career with more accolades? Football waits in bated breath.
