Shoaib Akhtar enters the Messi-Ronaldo GOAT debate. Cricket fans are asking why

It’s not often you see cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar on a panel of a football show analyzing the FIFA World Cup 2026. But as a fan pointed out, we got to see it before GTA VI was released. Akhtar was on the Tapmad and PTV panel for the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain and decided to enter the debate about the GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi.

Akhtar was quite blunt in his assessment of the two players, saying that Ronaldo is probably the biggest football brand of the last 10 years, with FIFA and various leagues using his marketing value to thrive.

However, the Pakistan pace legend said there is no comparison between Messi and Ronaldo when it comes to football, with the Argentine maestro way ahead of his Portuguese counterpart.

“There has never been a bigger brand in football than Cristiano Ronaldo. Take it or leave it. He is probably the biggest brand FIFA has ever enjoyed. In the last 10 years, FIFA has sold him. The leagues have also been sold through him.

“Now if you look at Lionel Messi… I know I’m being a bit blunt here. But Messi is the greatest… yes, he’s on a different level. Ronaldo is nowhere near Messi football-wise. Just watch Messi’s gravitational pull on the pitch. He gets knocked down, gets up and keeps going. Ronaldo is incredible too,” look again at the work Messi has done. Akhtar is different.

Akhtar went on to say that there was no point in provoking Messi on the pitch and pointed to how Pep Guardiola explained how the former Barcelona man would spend the first 75 minutes just scanning the play on the pitch before exploding.

“And even today, he’s still fighting and competing. Why do people keep provoking him? What’s the point? Once you get him going, he’ll respond.”

“His manager was saying something interesting… what was his name? Former Barcelona manager… Guardiola. He said Messi spends the first 75 minutes just walking around and scanning the game. He maps everything out first. Once you interrupt him around the 75th minute, he shows you what he’s really made of,” Akhtar said.

However, cricket fans on social media trolled the Pakistani channel for inviting Akhtar on a panel to analyze football.

Some fans were all ears to hear Akhtar’s opinion, calling it absolute cinematography.

After all, Messi missed out on winning the World Cup for the second time in a row when Spain beat Argentina 1-0 on Sunday 19 July.

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Published on:

20 Jul 2026 07:33 IST