Football titans Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo find themselves excluded from Rio Ferdinand’s coveted Greatest of All Time (GOAT) list, where Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer claims the top spot.
Ferdinand, renowned for his tenure at Manchester United, diverges from the expected norm by selecting Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, and Federer as his four ultimate athletes of all time.
Despite Messi and Ronaldo’s illustrious careers boasting a combined 12 Ballon d’Or awards and nine Champions League titles, Ferdinand, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, bypasses the football luminaries for a diverse quartet.
Both Messi and Ronaldo continue to demonstrate remarkable prowess, with Messi notching 11 goals for Inter Miami and Ronaldo firing in nine for Al Nassr in the current season.
Ferdinand’s unexpected choices have sent ripples through the sports community, prompting reflection on the subjective nature of greatness in athletics.
While Ferdinand has previously commended both Messi and Ronaldo for their extraordinary talents, his recent selection emphasizes the broader spectrum of sporting excellence beyond the realm of football.
