‎Di Maria Explains Ronaldo’s Professional Edge Over Messi but Crowns Argentine as GOAT

‎Angel Di Maria has opened up on the long-running debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, admitting that the Portuguese star stands “by far” above his Argentine rival in terms of professionalism, while still insisting that Messi remains the greatest player of all time due to his natural talent.

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‎Angel Di Maria explains why Cristiano Ronaldo surpasses Lionel Messi in professionalism, yet still crowns Messi as football’s greatest ever while praising Mbappe and confirming his retirement stance.

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‎The World Cup winner reflected on his years alongside Ronaldo at Real Madrid, where the pair played together between 2010 and 2014. During that spell, Di Maria celebrated domestic and European success and witnessed first-hand the dedication that has defined Ronaldo’s career.

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‎Speaking to AS, the veteran forward explained that Ronaldo’s commitment and relentless drive left a lasting impression on him. He said that Ronaldo’s work ethic, consistency and constant desire to improve were unmatched, particularly as he pushed himself to rival Messi during an era that made his pursuit of greatness even more difficult.

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‎Despite Ronaldo collecting five Ballon d’Or awards, Messi has pulled ahead in individual honours with eight Golden Balls. Both players continue their careers with Al-Nassr and Inter Miami respectively, further cementing their places among football’s elite.

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‎Even so, Di Maria has never wavered in placing Messi at the top of his personal rankings. He explained that while Ronaldo built his career through sheer effort and discipline, Messi’s brilliance came naturally. According to Di Maria, Messi could relax in the dressing room and then step onto the pitch and demonstrate a rare gift that set him apart.

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‎The former Argentina star also responded to comments made by Cesar Luis Menotti, who once suggested Di Maria deserved to be mentioned alongside Messi and Diego Maradona in discussions about Argentina’s greatest players. Di Maria expressed gratitude for the praise but insisted he did not belong in the same category, acknowledging the unique level occupied by those legends.

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‎At 37, Di Maria remains active and has returned to Rosario Central, while still closely monitoring his former clubs. He believes Real Madrid currently boast the world’s best player in Kylian Mbappe, who he expects to win the Ballon d’Or in the future.

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‎Discussing the French forward, Di Maria said Mbappe has been among the elite for several years and that his influence continues to grow. He believes that once Mbappe discovered his ideal style of play, he became capable of changing matches and now stands as the finest player in the game today.

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‎Looking ahead to the next World Cup, Di Maria confirmed he will not reverse his decision to retire from international football. Having stepped away in 2024, he feels his journey with Argentina is complete after winning everything he set out to achieve.

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‎He explained that following the Qatar World Cup, he intended to retire but was persuaded to feature in the final Copa America, which ended in a fairytale triumph. With a new generation emerging, Di Maria believes the time has come for others to take over.

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‎The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, begins on June 11. Di Maria will watch closely as Argentina defend the title he helped secure in 2022.