Cristiano Ronaldo receives GOAT award ahead of Lionel Messi

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Cristiano Ronaldo has been officially recognized as the greatest player of all time in Portugal, receiving a special honor at the Liga Portugal Awards ceremony, surpassing his long-time rival Lionel Messi in this prestigious accolade.

Ronaldo accepted the award through a video message from the Liga Portugal Instagram account, expressing heartfelt thanks to his teammates, coaches, and fans for their support throughout his career.

"It is a great honour to win something for my country. This recognition belongs not just to me, but to all the people who have been part of my journey. Thank you all," Ronaldo wrote on social media.

At 40 years old, Ronaldo boasts an illustrious career spanning over two decades, having won league titles in England, Spain, and Italy, and setting scoring records at every club he has played for. He has been a key figure for Portugal, leading the nation to win the European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.

Cristiano Ronaldo also signed a contract extension with Al Nassr, which means he will don the Saudi colours for a couple of seasons more.

Already with over 942 career goals, Ronaldo is closing in on the remarkable milestone of 1,000 goals, an achievement that would further strengthen his legacy. As Portugal's most-capped player and top scorer, he remains influential both at club level with Al-Nassr and on the international stage. Messi, on the other hand, has starred for both Argentina and Inter Miami in recent times. The former Barcelona player scored a series of braces for the MLS outfit recently and has been in stellar form.

Cristiano Ronaldo will play for Al Nassr in the AFC Champions League Two starting September 16, 2025, and continues to feature for Portugal in World Cup qualifiers. Lionel Messi just played his final World Cup qualifiers match for Argentina and remains active with Inter Miami in club football.