Cristiano Ronaldo admirers have hit out at news that Lionel Messi will sport 'GOAT' on his Paris Saint-Germain strip next season thanks to a new sponsorship deal.
Legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo's fans have expressed disappointment over the news that his arch-rival Lionel Messi will sport 'GOAT' on his Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) shirt next season owing to a new sponsorship deal. The two iconic footballers are considered the greatest of all time, with the age-old debate over who the 'Great Of All Time' is refusing to die down.
Messi and the rest of the PSG squad will sport the word 'GOAT' on their sleeves as the Ligue 1 leaders have announced a new multi-year deal with the next generation lifestyle platform. The Argentine has modelled the new design next to Neymar, Marco Verratti, Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi. Notably, sensational forward Kylian Mbappe doesn't appear in the recent shoot amid speculations over his move to Real Madrid once his contract at Le Parc des Princes ends this summer.
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GOAT, which offers luxury apparel and accessories, will have their brand name stamped on the sleeves of training, warm-up and matchday jerseys from July 1 onwards. The online platform has over 30 million members worldwide and will now reap benefits from its partnership with the Ligue 1 giants, which also have the likes of Neymar in their ranks.
In the meantime, Manchester United star Ronaldo's fans took to social media to express displeasure over PSG's marketing strategy that draws the 'G.O.A.T' attention back towards the legendary Argentine. On Twitter, one user said, "[Messi] has to do things like these to be branded as GOAT. My idol would never do these cringe activities."
Another user stated, "Nice of him to rep Cristiano. He's still finished, though." Meanwhile, a user claimed, "You earn the GOAT status, this is a self-proclaimed GOAT title."
The Argentina international has not recreated the magic he displayed in Barcelona since moving to PSG last summer. So far, Messi has scored three Ligue 1 goals, 13 assists, and five Champions League strikes - numbers that have not lived up to the hype and expectation the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner had set.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo's future at Old Trafford is far from certain as the Red Devils look destined to fall short in their bid to qualify for Champions League next season. Ajax's Erik ten Hag is also set to take over as United's permanent manager, with reports suggesting that a verbal agreement has taken place with the Dutchman.
Both Ronaldo and Messi have spent almost two decades winning the hearts of football fans globally and pushing each other to bring out their best on the field. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the two legends of the game and whether Lionel Messi can vindicate PSG's crafty new 'GOAT' partnership.