Ronaldinho has revealed why he would prefer to play with Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi if given the chance today.
Ronaldo and Messi's era of dominance is now certainly in its twilight, with both players well into their thirties and playing outside of Europe's elite leagues this season.
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The pair maintained an unprecedented duopoly over football's most prestigious individual prize, the Ballon d'Or award, with the Argentine claiming it a record seven titles, while his Portuguese rival was awarded the accolade five times.
Both have also scored an extraordinary 700-plus career goals, and their incredible accomplishments has firmly, perhaps statistically at least, placed them among the greatest athletes to play the sport.
As such, opinion around who the better footballer is between them never seizes to relent and the topic continues to create a divide among fans.
Brazilian legend Ronaldinho has now revealed, perhaps surprisingly, why he would prefer to play with Ronaldo instead of his old teammate Messi if he was presented with the opportunity today.
In a recent interview, the Selecao icon was asked which of his former teammates, Messi or Ronaldo Nazario, he would choose today, and he named the Portuguese superstar instead, simply because he has not had the opportunity to line up next to him before.
"I played with Messi and Ronaldo [Nazario]," he answered, per Essentially Sports.
"The person I did not play with is Cristiano, and I would like the opportunity to play with him."
This response will surprise many as Ronaldinho spent four years in the same dressing room as Messi at Barca, with many believing the latter was a fitting successor to the former at the Camp Nou.
The Brazil legend would later leave Barca under a cloud of controversy due to recurring disciplinary issues in Catalonia.
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However, many feel his legacy at the Spanish giants remains untainted, with the Blaugrana's official website describing him as "the catalyst for the return of the good times to FC Barcelona after a barren spell off".
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