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
The Portuguese midfielder has quickly become an important part of Madrid’s squad since arriving this summer, making his place among the substitutes one of the talking points before kick-off. Bernardo Silva is among the notable absentees from Real Madrid’s starting lineup against Real Betis, with Jose Mourinho making several changes for Friday’s La Liga trip to Seville. The Portuguese midfielder has quickly become an important part of Madrid’s squad since arriving this summer, making his place among the substitutes one of the talking points before kick-off. Real Madrid enters the match looking to maintain its perfect start to the 2026-27 campaign. Mourinho’s side had collected nine points from its opening three games, scoring 10 goals while conceding only twice, but the trip to Betis represented a considerably tougher test. Betis has traditionally made life difficult for Madrid at home, having avoided defeat in each of the previous four meetings between the sides in Seville. Los Blancos’ last away victory over the Analusians came in August 2021, meaning Mourinho had a significant unwanted streak to end. Manuel Pellegrini’s side also arrived with something to prove after suffering a surprising 5-2 defeat against Levante. Before that setback, Betis had opened the season with consecutive 1-0 victories over Real Sociedad and Valencia and remained one of the stronger teams outside La Liga’s traditional giants. DateReal Madrid’s OpponentCompetitionResultAug. 30, 2026MalagaLa LigaWin (4-0)Aug. 26, 2026Real SociedadLa LigaWin (4-1)Aug. 22, 2026EspanyolLa LigaWin (2-1) Real Madrid, meanwhile, had built considerable momentum. After narrowly beating Espanyol 2-1 away from home, it defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 before putting four past newly promoted Malaga. DateReal Betis’ OpponentCompetitionResultAug. 29, 2026LevanteLa LigaLoss (2-5)Aug. 25, 2026ValenciaLa LigaWin (1-0)Aug. 21, 2026Real SociedadLa LigaWin (1-0) Why Bernardo Silva is not starting against Betis The Madrid manager had plenty of selection decisions to make, particularly with the Champions League opener against Inter approaching next week. In fact, the expected lineup had suggested Bernardo Silva could feature from the start, but the final team sheet delivered a different outcome. However, the reason is primarily tactical, with Mourinho choosing Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde as his midfield pairing for the trip to La Cartuja. Arda Guler starts on the right side of the attacking unit, while Bellingham continues in his familiar advanced role behind Mbappe. Bernardo Silva of Real Madrid controls the ball during the preseason friendly at Groupama Arena. (David Balogh/Getty Images) Silva therefore begins the match on the bench, despite being one of Madrid’s most experienced midfield options. The decision represents another example of Mourinho rotating his new signing as he continues to establish the right balance in his midfield. The Portuguese midfielder joined Real Madrid from Manchester City on a free transfer in June 2026, signing a contract through 2028. His versatility means Mourinho can deploy him as a deeper midfielder, No. 8, No. 10 or in wider positions, giving the coach plenty of options even when Silva does not start. Silva still has major role to play Silva’s position in the squad should not be viewed as a sign that Mourinho has lost faith in him. The 32-year-old arrived after nine seasons at Manchester City, bringing enormous experience and a winning mentality to a Madrid team undergoing significant changes. Mourinho has already shown that he is willing to rotate his midfield options rather than rely on the same XI every week. With La Liga and the Champions League beginning to overlap, keeping players fresh could become increasingly important. That makes Silva an especially valuable option from the bench. His technical quality and ability to operate in multiple positions give Mourinho a player capable of changing the rhythm of a match, particularly if Betis ma
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