It is not often that you see cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar being on the panel of a football show analysing the FIFA World Cup 2026. But as a fan pointed it out, we got to see it before the release of GTA VI. Akhtar was on the panel of Tapmad and PTV for the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain decided to enter the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi GOAT debate.
Akhtar was pretty blunt with his assessment of both players, saying that Ronaldo is probably the biggest brand in football over the last 10 years, with FIFA and various leagues using his marketing value to prosper.
However, the Pakistan pace legend said that there is no comparison between Messi and Ronaldo when it comes to football, with the Argentine maestro being well ahead of his Portuguese counterpart.
“There has never been a bigger brand in football than Cristiano Ronaldo. Take it or leave it. He is probably the biggest brand FIFA has ever enjoyed. For the last 10 years, FIFA has sold him. Leagues have marketed themselves through him as well.
“Now, if you look at Lionel Messi… I know I’m being a bit blunt here. But Messi is the biggest… yes, he’s on another level. Ronaldo is nowhere close to Messi in terms of football. Just watch Messi’s gravitational pull on the pitch. He gets knocked down, gets back up, and keeps going. Ronaldo is incredible too, look at the work he has done. But again, Messi is different,” said Akhtar.
Akhtar went on to say there is no point in provoking Messi on the field and pointed out to how Pep Guardiola explained how the former Barcelona man would spend the first 75 minutes just scanning the game on the field before exploding into life.
“And even today he is still fighting and competing. Why do people keep provoking him? What’s the point? Once you get him going, he responds.”
“His manager used to say something interesting… what was his name? The former Barcelona manager… Guardiola. He used to say Messi spends the first 75 minutes just walking around and scanning the game. He maps everything out first. Then, once you disturb him around the 75th minute, he shows you what he’s really made of,” said Akhtar.
However, the cricket fans on social media trolled the Pakistan channel for calling Akhtar on to the panel to analyse football in the first place.
Some of the fans were all ears to hear Akhtar’s opinion, calling it absolute cinema.
At the end of the day, Messi missed out on winning the World Cup for the second straight time as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 on Sunday, July 19.
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