NBA star Anthony Edwards sparked controversy online after he claimed not to know Cristiano Ronaldo while wearing Lionel Messi’s Argentina national team jersey.
Popularly known as Ant-Man, Edwards arrived for the NBA All-Star game on Sunday, February 15, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California – a match in which he was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) after his USA Stars beat the USA Stripes 47-21.
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Upon his arrival, Edwards, who was wearing an Argentina national team jersey underneath an Adidas signature hoodie, was asked whether he knew Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo.
“Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s that? I can’t f*ck with him! Where does he play?” he responded.
His response, expectedly, did not sit well with many Ronaldo fans, who took aim at the NBA star, claiming that he is not as famous as the Portuguese superstar. Notably, Messi currently plies his trade in the United States with MLS side Inter Miami, while Ronaldo is employed at Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Despite being in the twilight of their careers, Ronaldo and Messi continue to divide opinions among fans and fellow sports icons alike. The pair dominated football for almost two decades, sharing the Ballon d’Or 13 times between them.
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo picks between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has recently weighed in on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate. Unlike Edwards, Antetokounmpo lauded the abilities of both players but leaned toward Ronaldo, saying he is ‘similar’ to the Portuguese in terms of hard work.
“I think Messi is a pure talent,” he said. “Pure talent, and with hard work and discipline throughout his career and consistency of being in the top. He is probably maybe the best player of all time. But for me, I relate and I get closer to people that I’m similar to them, right, like hard work, discipline, take care of your body, be consistent for many years. He’s 41 years old now, right? 41 years old, still playing high level, so my mindset is closer to Cristiano Ronaldo mindset. Different people, he’s more flashy than me and I’m not like that.
“But when it comes to the game, the love and the consistency and the hard work and the, you know, push the envelope and keep on getting better, I’m more similar to Ronaldo. So, when you ask me that question, I say Ronaldo but now if you put them, who has accomplished more in their career; eight Ballon d’Or, five Ballon d’Or, World Cup, not the World Cup, five Champions League, four Champions League, it’s what you prefer. The most important thing, once you get to that point that you say Messi or Ronaldo, you already won. I wish to get to a point where they say Jordan or Giannis, I already won in life, so”
Lionel Messi is best known for his ability to effortlessly weave through defenders, while Cristiano Ronaldo is renowned for his goal-scoring ability.
Edited by Ezekiel Olamide
