Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernández Cascante has begun arguments in football circles with his comments about Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that the Portuguese professional footballer needs inborn talent when compared to Lionel Messi.

Commenting at an interview on the Spanish TV program El Hormiguero on Wednesday, Rodri, currently recovering from a knee surgery, joined the ongoing debate about the greatest footballer ever. He firmly asserted that Lionel Messi holds this title.

Additionally, he said, “Cristiano has tried to match Messi without inborn talent. But those of us who have played against them can see the difference.”

The defensive midfielder also stressed the unique challenges of playing against the two football icons, highlighting Messi’s wide-ranging threat on the pitch compared to Ronaldo’s skills in specific situations.

“With Cristiano, we didn’t want him to step into the box because he was lethal there,” Rodri said.

“But with Messi, the danger was everywhere on the pitch.”

Rodri’s remarks have provoked intense debate, with many fans interpreting them as a dismissal of Ronaldo’s natural abilities, rekindling the ever-passionate Messi vs. Ronaldo discussions.

In the same interview, Rodri spoke about his current triumph in winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or, beating Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior to secure the prestigious award.

“There was speculation three weeks earlier that Vinicius was going to win, so I had no optimism going to the gala,” Rodri reiterated.

“Prior to my arrival in Paris, many people started congratulating me. I didn’t even have a speech prepared, but my father demanded I prepare something just in case.”