Tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz has weighed in on football’s long-running GOAT debate, backing Cristiano Ronaldo while omitting Lionel Messi from his list of the five greatest footballers of all time.
Alcaraz Names His Footballing Greats
The four-time Grand Slam champion and Real Madrid fan was asked to name his top five footballers ever. His picks included:
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Sergio Ramos
- Luka Modric
- Ronaldinho
- Neymar Jr.
However, Messi’s absence from the list quickly sparked reactions from fans, given his eight Ballon d’Or wins and 2022 World Cup triumph.
Alcaraz Clears Up the Controversy
Facing backlash, the Spanish tennis star took to Instagram to clarify that he had simply forgotten to mention Messi, stating:
“Can’t believe I said those five forgetting Messi and a few more. I could say five different names right now.”
Messi & Ronaldo Set for International Duty
As the debate rages on, Messi will feature for Argentina in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on March 21, while Ronaldo will captain Portugal in their Nations League quarter-final first leg against Denmark a day earlier.







