Kimpembe Declares Messi Superior to Ronaldo: A Former Teammate’s Perspective

The age-old debate of Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo continues to ignite discussion among football fans and professionals alike. Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defender Presnel Kimpembe has now added his voice to the conversation, emphatically siding with Messi as the superior player. Kimpembe, who shared a dressing room with Messi at PSG between 2021 and 2023, cited the Argentine’s innate talent and unmatched technical ability as the deciding factors.

Witnessing Messi’s Genius Up Close

Kimpembe recalled the excitement that swept through the PSG squad upon learning of Messi’s arrival in Paris. “The arrival of Leo Messi at PSG? Crazy… crazy… I was like a madman. When he arrives at PSG, we are so happy. We say to ourselves: ‘The best player in the world is on my team!’” he stated on the Just Riadh YouTube channel according to Goal.com.

Talent vs. Hard Work

While acknowledging the dedication and work ethic of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kimpembe believes Messi possesses a natural gift that sets him apart. “I like them both, but I would say Team Messi. He’s too strong. I really like Ronaldo too, because we know he works hard. Messi was born with this gift. Ronaldo too, but he developed it in his own way,” Kimpembe explained. He further elaborated on Messi’s technical prowess, describing how difficult it was to defend against him in training rondos. “Messi is truly exceptional. When we played rondo with him, his technical quality… We tried to pressure him, but he had already seen everything and he faked us… It was incredible.” as reported by Marca.

Current Trajectories

Since their time together at PSG, both Messi and Ronaldo have embarked on different career paths. Messi is currently thriving in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami, recently extending his contract with the club until 2028 and already scoring three goals in his first three games of the 2026 season. Goal.com reports. Ronaldo, at age 41, is recovering from a hamstring injury while playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, continuing his pursuit of reaching 1,000 official career goals.

Kimpembe’s Decisive Verdict

Kimpembe’s perspective offers a unique insight into the qualities of both footballing legends, ultimately leading him to conclude that Messi operates on a different level. His firsthand experience playing alongside Messi at PSG clearly shaped his opinion, solidifying his place in “Team Messi.” Sportskeeda confirms Kimpembe’s preference for Messi as the best player in the world.