Man Utd youngster picks Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in GOAT debate

While most current and former Manchester United players back Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT debate, Amad Diallo has a different take.

Diallo never played a competitive game alongside CR7, but the pair did train together when they were both at the club in 2021.

Despite supporting United as a youngster, the Ivory Coast international has always preferred Lionel Messi , who he considers as his idol.

“In my life, my idol was Messi, I always say Messi. He is the player I try to learn from,” Diallo told the Manchester United YouTube channel.

During a separate interview with Sky Sports in 2024, Diallo said: “Messi has always been my idol because he is left-footed like me.

“I want to do some things like Messi. I like Messi, how he plays.”

In terms of his biggest inspiration from United growing up, Diallo named Rooney as his favourite player.

“At United, the player I really like was Rooney,” the winger admitted.

“When they ask me which player would you love to play with from United history, I say Rooney because he is the player I really, really love.”

In fairness to Daillo, he’s not the only United star who prefers Messi over Ronaldo, as Rooney himself holds the same opinion.

“People think I hate him [Ronaldo],” Rooney said during an interview last year.

“I love him. I think he’s an absolute genius and what he’s doing is incredible. I love Cristiano and playing with him. I don’t think people realise actually how close me and him were.

“I think just because I’ve said that I think Messi is better than Ronaldo, people think I don’t like Cristiano.

“I absolutely love Messi, love watching him play and that was the only reason because I think Messi had a little bit more in terms of how he played and taking players on and whatever.

“Ronaldo’s a killer and people think because I’ve said Messi is better than Ronaldo, I don’t like him or speak down on him.”

Another notable United figure who often picks Messi over Ronaldo is Diallo’s former teammate, Marcus Rashford .

In 2018, he said: “Some of the stuff that he does is unbelievable.

“I’m a big fan of Ronaldo as well, but I think Messi is the greatest ever.”

Ronaldo probably won’t lose any sleep over these former teammates preferring Messi, but there does seem to be a growing number of United stars who have the Argentine as their GOAT over CR7.