MATT BARLOW: Richarlison, top scorer for Spurs with 11 Premier League goals last season, cannot play in the competition after his omission from De Zerbi's official 25-man squad.
The LAFC forward, who is now competing against Messi in MLS, offered a remarkably honest assessment that revealed why his personal choice and his soccer judgment do not completely align. Son Heung-min has found himself in the middle of the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi GOAT debate, despite his own admiration for Ronaldo remaining as strong as ever. The LAFC forward, who is now competing against Messi in MLS, offered a remarkably honest assessment that revealed why his personal choice and his soccer judgment do not completely align. The former Tottenham star has never hidden his admiration for Ronaldo, whom he has regarded as an idol since his younger years. Yet when asked to compare two players who defined an era of soccer, Son admitted there is something about their careers that he simply cannot overlook. The Messi-Ronaldo argument dominated soccer for more than a decade, particularly during their extraordinary spells at Barcelona and Real Madrid. Their individual statistics, trophies, and records created a rivalry that became one of the defining storylines of modern soccer. For many fans, Messi’s 2022 World Cup triumph strengthened his case, giving him the major international trophy that had previously been missing from his résumé. His record eight Ballon d’Or awards, compared with Ronaldo’s five, have also become another significant talking point in the debate. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Ronaldo’s longevity, goalscoring record and success across different leagues provide an equally powerful argument for his supporters. Even the Korean star, one of Ronaldo’s admirers, recognizes that the debate is ultimately too close to dismiss either player. Son remains huge Ronaldo admirer Son’s preference for Ronaldo is deeply personal, with the Portuguese superstar having influenced the South Korean’s approach to soccer from an early age. Ronaldo’s explosiveness, finishing, athleticism, and dedication made a lasting impression on Son, who has repeatedly spoken about trying to emulate his idol. That admiration has survived throughout Son’s career, including his time at Tottenham and now his move to Los Angeles FC. He even had the opportunity to face Ronaldo at the 2022 World Cup, when South Korea met Portugal in the group stage. Speaking during an appearance on The Late Run show, Son explained just how highly he still regards the five-time Ballon d’Or winner: “I mean, look, those two is not comparable, you know, for me. First of all, both make a huge impact for football. The people, I think those two are making football really special. I mean, but I always said Cristiano Ronaldo because he’s my idol, still.” 🚨 Son HEUNG-MIN:Cristiano is my idol but Messi is the GOAT 🐐. pic.twitter.com/LRrVuBmjZn— Johnny Cortes (@johnnycortes) September 3, 2026 The one thing Son cannot ignore Son then highlighted the quality that continues to impress him about Ronaldo, even at this stage of the Portuguese star’s career: “He’s 41, whatever, how old he is, he look like a 20 [year-old] and he show how much love of soccer, the passion, but yeah, I can’t change this things, you know, like Lionel Messi. Wow.” That was where Son’s answer took an interesting turn. Despite Ronaldo being his personal idol, Son conceded that Messi’s overall career makes it extremely difficult to deny the Argentine’s claim to being the greatest player ever. “Probably I would say he’s the GOAT. I can’t, I can’t disagree with this. He’s probably the best player, but my eyes, my point of view, I always want to play like him, like Cristiano Ronaldo, you know”, he added. The LAFC forward’s answer ultimately came down to the difference between personal inspiration and his assessment of greatness. “So that’s the reason that I will pick him [Ronaldo]. But look, those two it’s not comparable, you know. So both amazing. Both are GOATs.” The LAFC star therefore remains firmly attached to Ronaldo as his personal choice, while simultaneously acknowledging that Messi has an incredibly
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