Piers Morgan Names The Ten Best Players He's Seen In His Lifetime, Puts Lionel Messi In Third

Piers Morgan has named Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest player he's ever seen in his lifetime, with rival Lionel Messi only coming third.

Manchester United forward Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday to keep his side's top four hopes alive.

The 37-year-old's performance was a reminder that he's still one of the world's best players, despite a poor start to 2022.

Morgan is a close friend of Ronaldo's, having interviewed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner previously, and waxed lyrical about him in a column for The Sun.

Broadcaster Morgan listed the ten best players of all time and it'll come as no surprise Ronaldo was at the top.

Interestingly, he's picked Diego Maradona in second ahead of Messi, who is having a tough debut season with Paris Saint-Germain.

Check out the entire list below:

10. Paolo Maldini

9. Zinedine Zidane

8. Thierry Henry

7. Pele

6. George Best

5. Ronaldo Nazario

4. Ronaldinho

3. Lionel Messi

2. Diego Maradona

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Brazilian icons Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Nazario make up the top five, with the duo helping Brazil to World Cup glory.

Ronaldo won it in 1994 and 2002, while Ronaldinho was also part of the 2002 squad in South Korea and Japan.

George Best and Pele rank sixth and seventh and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry sits in eighth.

Morgan is a huge Gunners fan and regularly tweets about his side.

Zinedine Zidane and Paolo Maldini round off the top ten, with the latter being the only defender to make it onto the list.

Morgan spoke to Ronaldo following his heroics and the weekend and asked him to sum up why he's the 'GOAT' in a few simple words.

The 56-year-old shared his response and it's typical Ronaldo.

"Today, I texted him to ask him to sum up in one word why he’s the GOAT," Morgan put.

"I need three words," he replied. “More than special one, I’m 'The Only One.'"

"Then he sent two laughing emojis. I could almost hear him chuckling – and winking – out of my phone."

Ronaldo will be hoping he can turn on the style one again in midweek.

United are tied 1-1 in their Champions League last 16 clash with Atletico Madrid.

They welcome the reigning La Liga champions to Old Trafford on Tuesday night.