David Beckham insists Cristiano Ronaldo not at Lionel Messi’s ‘level’ in brutal snub to ex-Man Utd and Real Madrid star

DAVID BECKHAM has claimed that Lionel Messi is at a higher level than his long-standing rival Cristiano Ronaldo after joining football’s ultimate debate.

Ronaldo and Messi have battled it out as football’s premier stars for the best part of the last 15 years with the debate on who is better splitting fans across the world.

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Manchester United legend Beckham told Argentine outlet Telam: “He [Messi] is alone in his class as a player, it is impossible that there is another like him.

“He, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not at his level, are both above the rest.”

Ronaldo and Messi have both enjoyed stunning careers, winning trophies galore and netting many hundreds of goals as well as bagging plenty of individual awards.

Incredibly only once in the last 12 years has the game’s most coveted prize – the Ballon d’Or – NOT gone to one of Messi or Ronaldo.

Aside from Luka Modric‘s win back in 2018 the award has been solely split between Messi and Ronaldo with the Barcelona skipper leading the way by six gongs to five, courtesy of his 2019 win.

Three Lions hero Beckham is likely to have upset legions of his former clubs’ supporters by brutally snubbing fellow ex-United and Real Madrid star Ronaldo in favour of Messi.

Juventus forward Ronaldo was brought to Old Trafford to help fill the No7 shirt left by the departing Becks who infamously fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson and became one of Madrid’s Galacticos in 2003.

Portuguese icon Ronaldo has followed a similar career path, his move to Madrid from United went through in 2009 for a then world record fee of £80million.

However, United initially preferred to sell their star asset to Madrid’s El Clasico rivals Barcelona which would have seen Messi and Ronaldo form an unbelievable partnership at the Nou Camp.

Despite spending the best part of nine years in the Spanish capital Ronaldo never played with Beckham as the former England captain moved to La Galaxy in 2007 to be a pioneer for the MLS.

But recent rumours suggest the pair could finally be united in America at Inter Miami, the club Beckham now owns.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have been linked with a move to the US to see out the twilight of their careers but it remains to be seen whether either will make the leap.

Pundits and fans have been hard-pushed to split Messi and Ronaldo in the GOAT debate, even players who have played with both of the record-breaking pair have found it tough to do so, which makes Beckham’s decisive view all the more startling.

The former AC Milan midfielder may have been swung by his experience against Messi.

He went out on away goals having drawn 3-3 while playing as a 37-year-old for Paris Saint-Germain in the 2013 Champions League quarter-final.

Beckham added: “We were leading before Messi came in, and once he came in, Barcelona scored.

“Although I enjoyed playing at that level at my age, I do not like to lose. Our team played well. In both matches, we did things we should be proud of.

“We didn’t lose against Barcelona, and that is something that should motivate us.”