Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been the two defining figures of 21st-century soccer, fueling a never-ending debate over who is the greatest player of all time. Adding more weight to that discussion, former teammate of both legends at Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, Keylor Navas, has shared his thoughts on the matter.
Now playing for Pumas UNAM, Navas is among the few players in history to have shared the pitch with both the Portuguese and the Argentine superstars. When asked to pick between the two, the Costa Rican icon didn’t hesitate to make his preference clear.
Speaking on TUDN’s “Faitelson Sin Censura“, Navas admitted it was a tough choice but ultimately leaned toward his former Real Madrid teammate: “It’s tough, but if I had to choose, I think—mostly because of the time I lived through with them, being together—I’d go with Cristiano.”
Interestingly, back in 2013, before joining Real Madrid, Navas had named Messi as a once-in-a-generation player. However, after arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu and sharing the locker room with Ronaldo, his perspective changed. In a 2016 interview with Marca, he reaffirmed his stance: “The truth is, they are two great players; for me, today, Ronaldo is the best. But I’d be blind to say that Messi isn’t a great player—he also has incredible qualities.”
Hat trick scorer Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid celebrates victory and reaching the semi finals with Keylor Navas after the UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg match against VfL Wolfsburg.
Navas’ trophies with Ronaldo vs. Messi
After a breakout performance at the 2014 World Cup, Navas joined Real Madrid as a backup goalkeeper and soon became the club’s starter following Iker Casillas’ departure, anchoring the team during its golden era. In five seasons with Los Blancos, the Costa Rican won three UEFA Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cups alongside Ronaldo.
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Beyond those six major trophies, Navas also lifted one La Liga title, three UEFA Super Cups, and one Spanish Super Cup—achievements that defined his most successful spell at club level. Still, despite later sharing a locker room with Lionel Messi at PSG, his trophy haul in France was far smaller.
After Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 to form a superstar trio with Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, the club’s ultimate goal was to win the Champions League. However, despite domestic success, Navas managed to collect only one Ligue 1 title and one Trophée des Champions (French Super Cup) during his time with the Argentine star.
