Son Heung-min Discusses the GOAT Debate: Messi Cannot Be Questioned as the Best, but Ronaldo Is His Personal Idol!

In the football world, the discussion over whether Messi or Ronaldo is the 'greatest player of all time' (GOAT) has continued for more than a decade. Recently, South Korean player Son Heung-min was asked this classic question during an interview on The Late Run and gave a sincere yet diplomatic answer.

Near the end of the program, the host posed this highly discussed question to Son Heung-min. He expressed his choice without hesitation: 'Cristiano Ronaldo.' Son explained: 'I have always considered Ronaldo my idol.' This was not merely a polite remark; based on Son's background growing up, he was indeed deeply influenced by Ronaldo.

As a young Asian boy, Son Heung-min watched Ronaldo's matches on television and regarded him as his football role model, which seemed completely natural. He also admitted: 'From my perspective, I always wanted to imitate the way Ronaldo played, so I chose him.'

During the program, Son Heung-min also highlighted Ronaldo's age. 'He is now 41 years old, but he still looks like he is 20. He shows unlimited love and passion for football.' This assessment is not an exaggeration. Although Ronaldo, at 41, continues to score efficiently in the Saudi league, his impressive physical condition and professionalism have made him stand out among players of the same age. This persistence strongly resonates with Son, who is also known for his discipline.

However, Son Heung-min did not deny Messi's status because of this. When discussing Messi, his tone became very cautious and respectful. 'You could say he might be the best in history. I cannot argue against his greatness.' He acknowledged Messi's excellence from a rational perspective, while emotionally leaning more toward Ronaldo, who accompanied his growth as a football inspiration.

Finally, Son Heung-min concluded: 'These two superstars cannot really be compared. They each have their own strengths, and both are among the greatest players in history.' Although this answer may seem somewhat vague, it reflects the views of many people in the football industry. Messi and Ronaldo have distinct styles, and each reached the peak in different areas, making it extremely difficult to force a winner between them.

Son Heung-min, who is 34 years old this year, has entered the latter stage of his career. Since moving from Bayer Leverkusen to Tottenham in 2015, he has competed in the Premier League for nearly a decade and become one of Tottenham's legendary players. As captain of the South Korean national team, he led the team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Although they failed to advance from the group stage, he remained a highlight of the team.

Son Heung-min's career is like an inspirational story, from a young player in Chuncheon to a Premier League Golden Boot winner and then an MLS star. Throughout his journey, Ronaldo has always been that unreachable benchmark. Looking back on his childhood, Son watched Ronaldo's match footage many times, studying his movement, finishing and celebrations. Today, Son has also become an idol for many young Asian players, but he still remembers his original motivation.

The GOAT debate between Messi and Ronaldo is essentially a clash between two different football philosophies. Messi represents talent and artistry, with dribbling, passing and shooting appearing naturally gifted; Ronaldo represents effort and excellence, constantly pushing his limits through daily training. Both paths lead to greatness and have attracted their own supporters.

Clearly, Son Heung-min leans toward the latter. His success comes from hard work and discipline, which appears even more valuable compared with natural talent. For this reason, he believes Ronaldo's outstanding condition at 41 and his pure love for football are more convincing than any honors or statistics.

Nevertheless, Son Heung-min does not criticize Messi simply because he prefers Ronaldo. He recognizes Messi's status on a rational level, while emotionally showing his natural preference for his idol. This objective and sincere attitude may hold more value than arguments that see the issue only in black and white terms.

As the Messi and Ronaldo era gradually comes to an end, Son Heung-min has already given a clear answer: Ronaldo is his idol, while Messi is the best he cannot dispute. The two players have added a glorious chapter to football history.