Al-Ettifaq boss Steven Gerrard calls Cristiano Ronaldo ‘the GOAT’ in an interview fawning over the ex-Man United star – just a year after he’d named Lionel Messi as a better player than him
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Steven Gerrard has dubbed Cristiano Ronaldo ‘The GOAT’ in an interview in Saudi Arabia – just a year after hailing Lionel Messi as the greatest of all time.
Gerrard, who manages Al-Ettifaq in the Middle East, spoke about the Al-Nassr striker in a chat with the Saudi Pro League as he raved about the former Man United star’s impact on the division since his arrival in January.
The Liverpool legend has only been with Al-Ettifaq since July but has already become accustomed to his surroundings as he started speaking positively about the league and how Ronaldo had started the trend of superstars heading to Saudi Arabia.
“The arrival of the ‘GOAT’ as we call him, Cristiano, he arrives in January,” he said. “It was obviously a huge signing but still had a lot of football to offer. For six months I watched Cristiano Ronaldo’s results from a distance, watched some matches and some highlights.
“I think from that point on the competition became a very popular topic of conversation for everyone around the world.”
Steven Gerrard appears to have changed his mind about who the GOAT is after arriving in Saudi Arabia
The Al-Ettifaq boss said Ronaldo was the best, having previously backed Lionel Messi
Gerrard’s claim that Ronaldo is ‘The GOAT’ comes just a year after he named Messi as the world’s best ever player in a conversation with Gary Neville.
When Gerrard appeared on The Overlap with Sky Bet, he was asked by Neville to pick his best player of all time.
He replied: ‘Lionel Messi for me.’
Gerrard played against Ronaldo many times when he was at Liverpool and the Portuguese star at Man United – and also faced him in the Champions League when the striker moved to Real Madrid.
The ‘GOAT’ debate between Ronaldo and Messi has raged for decades, with Ronaldo making a strong case after his incredible career as a goalscorer, which saw him score 737 goals in 993 appearances (plus 146 for his country) and win. 32 trophies on the way.
Gerrard Al-Ettifaq defeated Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr 2-1 earlier this season
However, many would now side with Messi in that equation after the ex-Barcelona star won the legendary World Cup with Argentina last year.
Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq side have played Al-Nassr twice this season – beating them 2-1 once in the league thanks to goals from Robin Quaison and Moussa Dembele – after Sadio Mané opened the scoring early on, while Ronaldo was absent.
Al-Nassr then defeated Gerrard’s team in the King Cup of Champions match – with Mane back on the scoresheet after extra time arrived. Ronaldo played the full 120 minutes, but could not get on the scoresheet.
Al-Ettifaq currently sit seventh in the table under Gerrard after six wins, four draws and three losses, while Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr are second in the league and four points behind leaders Al-Hilal, who are unbeaten.
