The debate about whether the GOAT of soccer is Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo might never end. But renowned bodybuilder Mike O'Hearn recently revealed who he considers the superior player in this debate.

Both Ronaldo and Messi became part of the coveted FIFA World Cup 2026, leading their sides, Portugal and Argentina, respectively. However, the little man from Roazrio is currently outshining Ronaldo as he is still carrying his team in the tournament, while Ronaldo's Portugal exited after a 1-0 defeat against Spain in the Round of 32.

But O'Hearn wasn't concerned about all this, as one of his Instagram posts from July 10 displayed him picking Ronaldo over Messi during a casual interaction on the streets. The former Mr. Universe didn't even let the person finish his question.

"Ronaldo. Don't even say Messi. Ronaldo," he emphasized.

O'Hearn shared the reason behind picking Ronaldo as his GOAT, saying, "Because Ronaldo is 24/7, on the field and off the field."

What the former Mr. Universe meant by "24/7" is Ronaldo's unwavering work ethic. The 41-year-old puts in a lot of effort in his workouts and training to maintain pristine physical condition even at this age.

O'Hearn's association with bodybuilding and fitness makes it apparent why he chose Ronaldo over Messi while revealing his soccer GOAT.

However, O'Hearn isn't the only one who has appreciated Ronaldo's dedication. Even his teammates have lauded his commitment to his craft.

Patrice Evra details Cristiano Ronaldo's unwavering discipline

Cristiano Ronaldo's unparalleled dedication to the game is backed by his Manchester United teammate, Patrice Evra. In 2018, Evra disclosed on ITV's World Cup podcast how the Portuguese player starts training in his craft whenever he gets a little time.

The story dates back to a day after one of their training sessions, when Ronaldo invited Evra for lunch.

"He said: 'Patrice, come over after training,'" Evra began saying (as quoted by Marca). "I went, you know, I was really tired. At the table, there was only salad and plain white chicken, so I was like 'okay...', and water, not any juice.

"We started eating, and I was thinking some big meat would be coming after that, but there was nothing. He had just finished, and he stood up, and he started playing with a ball, doing some skills, and he said: 'Let's do some two touch'. I was like, 'Can I just finish eating?' [Ronaldo replied] 'No, no, let's play two-touch.'"

The two-touch session was followed by swimming, sauna, and jacuzzi sessions. To conclude things, Evra said,

"I was thinking, ‘Why didn’t we just stay at the training ground?' That day, I understood why he became Cristiano Ronaldo. His discipline, his obsession, and his desire to improve are different."

So while Ronaldo's exceptional work ethic makes him the GOAT for O'Hearn, Messi boasts the credit of winning the FIFA World Cup for his country, which makes him the best in the history of the sport to many.

After considering all these points, would you like to agree with O'Hearn's choice? Or do you think Messi is the GOAT of the sport?

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Written by

Souvik Roy

Edited by

Yash Kotak