NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki highlights one major reason why Lionel Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo

Dirk Nowitzki and Dallas Mavericks’ names are intertwined so intricately, that one cannot be mentioned without mentioning the other. The NBA Hall Of Famer showed unmatched loyalty to Mavs throughout his 21-year NBA career, only playing for the Dallas side.

Apart from his love for the Mavs, Dirk Nowitzki is also an avid follower of soccer. Being a soccer fan means he would inevitably have an opinion on the infamous GOAT debate featuring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Dirk Nowitzki picks Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo

Dirk Nowitzki, like many other NBA greats, chose former Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi as his GOAT, citing an interesting reason to snub the Portuguese forward.

While putting forward his opinion in the never-ending debate, the 45-year-old German said, “I’m a Messi guy. I don’t know how he carries himself or how he plays; he is a little super quick, like super fast. Ronaldo is one of the fastest players in the game, too.” Instead of stopping at that, Nowitzki further took a dig at Cristiano’s celebration and added, “Ronaldo to me, the shirt off and the, ‘Hey hey look at me’, it’s just not my style. Messi to me is way more low-key and I could identify more of that.”

Despite the Dallas Mavericks’ special advisor not being a fan of CR7, there is someone among the current players in the franchise who adores the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner.

One Mavs star absolutely adores Cristiano Ronaldo

The Mavericks’ ace Luka Doncic’s admiration for soccer is not a secret, but his fanboy moment with Cristiano Ronaldo is something from the realm of the unknown.

As a youngster, the Slovenian used to play soccer but eventually ended up playing basketball for Real Madrid. During a Christmas dinner when the basketball players joined the club’s soccer players, Doncic sat with his idol at the same table. Sharing the awestruck moment with Steve Nash, the Mavs guard said, “I was like 16 when I met him and I was so nervous, I couldn’t even talk so I didn’t ask anything”.

Doncic acted like any other fan would in front of their idol. From his love for Cristiano and his connections with the Los Blancos stars, one can figure out who Doncic will side with in the GOAT debate.

Even though the generational talents, Messi and Cristiano, left the major leagues and are poles apart in their respective clubs, their rivalry will remain forever engraved in soccer history.