Müller’s original preference was clear: “Nos primeiros 10 anos da minha carreira, eu estava com Cristiano.” But he now places greater weight on the complete journey rather than a player’s peak years.
The 2022 World Cup appears to have been decisive. Messi’s triumph with Argentina completed the one major chapter missing from his international career and strengthened the case for those who value both club and country achievements.
Müller also pointed to Messi’s continued influence at Inter Miami, arguing that his impact has survived changes in league, team and footballing environment.
This is not an opinion formed from a distance. Müller faced Messi in major Champions League and World Cup meetings, while also competing against Ronaldo at the highest level.
He won the 2014 World Cup with Germany after defeating Messi’s Argentina in the final, and he scored in the Germans’ emphatic victory over Portugal that same tournament. Against Messi’s Barcelona, Müller also found the net during Bayern Munich’s famous 8-2 Champions League win in 2020.
Those encounters give his conclusion added weight, even if they do not settle a debate that has divided football for more than a decade.
Müller’s strongest argument is emotional as much as statistical. “Penso na alegria de vê-lo jogar. Não é apenas um espetáculo, nem algo que dura um ano e termina. Já dura quase duas décadas, com números e alegria. Por isso digo que Lionel Messi é o maior,” he said.
That emphasis on joy, longevity and sustained brilliance captures why Messi’s reputation continues to grow even after his European peak.
The Messi-Ronaldo debate will not disappear, but Müller’s revised answer adds a compelling perspective from one of their most experienced contemporaries. Their legacies will remain under scrutiny as Messi’s final chapters and Ronaldo’s continuing career unfold.