Ex-Real Madrid star puts Lionel Messi above Cristiano Ronaldo as GOAT and backs Carlos Tevez’s CR7 training tale | OneFootball

Ezequiel Garay, who played with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, has put Messi ahead in the GOAT debate. "Number one is Leo and number two is Cristiano, without a doubt. They are two very different players, but the one who has surprised me the most is Leo. I have been fortunate enough to play with both of them, and Leo is something else," he said to DAZN.

He lifted the U20 World Cup with Argentina before a senior debut in 2007. From 2008 to 2011 he was at Real Madrid, seeing the start of Ronaldo’s Santiago Bernabeu journey that ended with 450 goals in 438 games.

He added that Messi has impressed him most in pure football terms, while Ronaldo’s success has been built on discipline, work ethic and sacrifice.

Carlos Tevez has previously described Ronaldo arriving before dawn for training and has also ranked Messi as the best he worked with. He contrasted Ronaldo’s constant gym work with Messi’s natural feel for the ball.

Garay confirmed that account, saying: "The story that Carlitos Tevez always tells is true. He’s the first to arrive at 6 am and the last to leave. He starts his routine, his gym session, his warm-up, his physio… all that to always be in the best condition."

Source: Goal.com