Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who did Gerard Pique think was better?

Gerard Pique shocked the footballing world with his abrupt decision to retire on Thursday night.

Taking to social media with an emotional video housing his announcement, Pique explained that he would play at Camp Nou for the final time when Barcelona host Almeria on Saturday evening.

“Football has given me everything,” Pique reflected in his moving statement. “Barcelona has given me everything. You, culers (Barcelona fans), have given me everything.

“And now that [this] kid’s dreams have come true, I want to tell you that I’ve decided that now is the time to bring this journey to its end.”

Pique calls time on a legendary career

The news draws the curtains on one of the most decorated careers in modern men’s football with Pique having essentially won every trophy available to him for both club and country.

The Blaugrana icon lifted the Champions League, La Liga, Premier League, World Cup and European Championship trophies across an illustrious 18 years in the professional game.

And one of the true pleasures of Pique’s career is undoubtedly the fact that he joined an exclusive club of players who could call both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi teammates.

Pique played with both Ronaldo and Messi

With the world-famous pair having won 12 of the last 14 Ballon d’Or titles, anyone who has shared the dressing room with them both naturally gains a truly remarkable insight into what it’s really like to play with two of the greatest footballers to have ever lived.

And having rubbed shoulders with Ronaldo at Manchester United and spent many a year with Messi at Barcelona, Pique joins the likes of Carlos Tevez, Andre Gomes and Gonzalo Higuain in having garnered that truly unique education.

Read more: Ronaldo, Messi, Pique: Which footballer has won the most trophies?

It does, of course, also mean that Pique is quite the authority on the never-ending Messi vs Ronaldo debate by way of seeing first-hand what each player is like to play and train alongside.

And although many of the stars who have played with both Messi and Ronaldo tend to plead the Fifth when they’re asked the inevitable question, that accusation can’t be made against Pique.

What did Pique say about Messi vs Ronaldo?

That’s because, during a fascinating chat with Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport in 2016, Pique actually gave one of the finest answers to the Messi vs Ronaldo debate that we’ve ever heard.

As with any great answer on the topic, the Spanish icon paid tribute to the qualities of both superstars, before delivering a fantastic closing analogy on why he thinks Messi has the edge.

“I think that they are both amazing,” Pique explained with typical eloquence. “We are talking about two of the best players, not just in the world but the history of this sport.

“I always said that Messi has some talent that no one has. I mean, he has the ball and his speed controlling the ball. The ball doesn’t go two metres far from his foot, it’s always there. It’s impossible to catch him, this talent I didn’t see from anyone.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is such a different player, they are very different. He is tall, strong, he’s really complete. He can do anything. He can do goals with the head, free-kicks, penalties, take one on one.

“But for me it’s like Messi is not human but Cristiano is the best of the humans.”

One of the best Messi vs Ronaldo answers

What a superb closing sentiment for an all-round respectable and articulate answer to one of football’s biggest questions concerning two players he shared a dressing room with.

And although Pique’s long and decorated career will rightfully be remembered for his individual quality first and foremost, no doubt the man himself will take particular pleasure in telling his future grandchildren one day that he played with both Messi and Ronaldo

After all, to have worked alongside the best of the humans and a player who simply isn’t human is quite the experience to have had in the beautiful game. Happy retirement, Gerard.