Ashley Cole, renowned for his defensive prowess, faced both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the height of their careers and shared his thoughts on which player was more challenging to defend against.
Ronaldo was one of the Premier League’s most skillful dribblers, often leaving defenders in a daze on match days.
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During his initial stint with Manchester United from 2003 to 2009, Ronaldo secured three Premier League titles, one Champions League trophy, and a Ballon d’Or. ..Continue Reading
However, for Cole, marking Ronaldo was just another day on the job. Surprisingly, it was Messi, despite fewer encounters, who posed a tougher challenge for Cole.
As a former Arsenal and Chelsea star, Cole is celebrated as one of the finest left-backs in English football history, with seven FA Cup victories, three Premier League titles, and a Champions League win to his name.
Few players have outshone Cole, and his duels with Ronaldo are legendary.
Regardless of whether he wore red or blue, Cole consistently presented a formidable challenge for the ex-Manchester United ace.
When fans asked Cole on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football who was tougher to face between Ronaldo and Messi, the ex-England international provided his insight.
Replying immediately, Cole said: “It has to be Messi. “People talk about Ronaldo more because I played against him more.
“But I think to mark Messi, on his day… he was just too good for me. “But, again, he’s never scored [against me].”
Chelsea and Barcelona have clashed in some unforgettable Champions League matches, with Cole and Messi often going head-to-head.
Despite their fierce battles, Barcelona was one of the rare teams where the Argentine star couldn’t find the back of the net.
Cole faced Messi five times, never conceding a goal to him. In those encounters, Cole won twice and drew three times.
Although Messi had a hard time getting past Petr Cech in goal, Cole’s assertion that Messi was a tougher opponent than Ronaldo might surprise many.
This could be particularly surprising for Ronaldo, who has often regarded Cole as his most challenging adversary.
Speaking to Coach Mag in 2016, he said: “Over the years I had some great battles with Ashley Cole. He does not give you a second to breathe.
“He was such a tenacious player when he was at his peak, quick, tough in the tackle. You knew it would never be an easy game.”
Cole squared off against Ronaldo 14 times, managing to win only three of those encounters and suffering defeat in eight. The five-time Ballon d’Or recipient managed to score three times during their clashes.
Notably, two of Ronaldo’s goals occurred in a single Premier League match.
On Ronaldo, Cole said: “Over the years, Cristiano Ronaldo and I had some mighty battles and we have a mutual respect for each other. He came to the Premier League as a little bit of an unknown, but he soon understood what it took to be a top player.
“He was willing to learn and adapt. He wanted to be the best player in the world and became a machine.
“He had everything. He could dribble, he could sprint behind, he could leap and jump and head a ball, he could go inside, he could go outside.
“So I say he always gave me nightmares, but you try to work each other out and we got the best of each other at times. Whenever I hear his name or see his face, I always think of when he made me do the splits! [in 2003/04, Ronaldo’s first Premier League season]”
