"Ronaldo is Vegeta, Messi is Goku": Nicolas Pepe's viral Dragon Ball Z comparison settles GOAT debate

Former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has offered a fresh perspective on football's most enduring rivalry by drawing parallels between Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and characters from the iconic anime series Dragon Ball Z.

The eternal GOAT discussion

The debate over football's greatest player has persisted for more than two decades, with Ronaldo and Messi dominating the conversation. Together, they've accumulated 13 Ballon d'Or trophies and rewritten nearly every significant record in the sport.

Messi's achievements have reached unprecedented heights with 48 major trophies, including a World Cup victory in Qatar and a recent MLS Cup with Inter Miami. Many regard the Argentine maestro as the best ever to play the beautiful game.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo continues to defy age at 40, plying his trade with Al-Nassr after legendary stints at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. His career stands as a testament to unwavering dedication and exceptional professionalism.

The anime analogy

During an interview with Just Riadh, an Algerian-born French Internet celebrity and actor, Pepe drew an intriguing comparison to Dragon Ball Z characters. He likened Ronaldo to Vegeta and Messi to Goku, suggesting the Portuguese forward's vocal nature about his rival reveals an underlying competitive frustration.

"Cristiano does numerous interviews and frequently discusses Messi, which shows he's number two," Pepe explained. "You know Dragon Ball Z? Vegeta always talked like that and who never talked? Goku. Ronaldo has that same frustration that Messi is always ahead of him"

The Ivorian international emphasized that focusing purely on playing ability, rather than statistics, makes the choice clear. "Messi is extraordinary. No human can match what he does on the pitch. We won't witness another player like him," Pepe stated.

Technical brilliance over statistics

Pepe elaborated on why he believes the Argentine eclipses all others when judged on pure footballing ability. The 30-year-old Villarreal forward said

"As a footballer? Messi slaps everyone, he's an otherworldly being, and we'll never see a player like him again. In discussions about Messi and Ronaldo, I say Messi.

“When you talk about statistics and what each player does, there are those who might say Ronaldo, but if you're following football closely because the experts and everyone in the field, in fact, say Messi.

"Forget the statistics, forget who jumps high, who shoots powerfully, just focus on the football itself! Messi is a crazy thing. Neymar at the peak of his form looks directly into Cristiano's eyes (meaning on the same level), forget about the statistics.”

Interestingly, Pepe also addressed Neymar's place in the conversation. Despite the Brazilian's status as the world's most expensive player following his €222 million move to PSG in 2017, Pepe doesn't view him as Messi's equal. Pepe said: “No, no, he doesn't look into Messi's eyes, Messi gives him two slaps on the face.” Remember, Pepe himself couldn't live up to expectations when he came to Arsenal for a big money move.

Looking ahead

Both legends show no signs of stopping. Both are getting ready to play the World Cup in 2026, though Messi hasn't confirmed his participation yet.

Messi has accumulated 896 goals and 407 assists throughout his career, breaking assist records along the way. He is an architect on the pitch. Ronaldo, meanwhile, is closing in on a historic milestone with 954 goals to his name, targeting that elusive 1,000th career goal.

Currently, Ronaldo is in Abu Dhabi, where Al-Nassr is set to play a friendly match, giving him yet another opportunity to edge closer to that four-figure landmark that would further distinguish his remarkable goalscoring legacy.