'Never a debate' - Jamie Carragher makes sweeping declaration on Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has given a definitive answer on the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo debate, claiming there is no disputing who is the superior player.

The pundit spoke on the CBS Sports coverage alongside Micah Richards, Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davis and Thierry Henry as they covered the Champions League games from Miami as the panel discussed the old-age question of who is the better player.

In terms of Messi, he has just finished his campaign with Inter Miami after helping them to win their first ever MLS Leagues Cup after netting 10 goals in seven games as he took the cup by storm. It was a different situation in the league as they finished 14th out of 15 teams, with Messi featuring just six times in the competition.

For Ronaldo, he has been plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr where his side currently sit second in the table after 14 games, four points behind Aleksandr Mitrovic's Al-Hilal. He currently has 18 goals and nine assists in 19 games across four competitions and is the face of the growing league.

When asked by presenter Kate Abdo about the two football superstars, Carragher quickly responded to the question with 'never a debate' when asked who was the better player.

"It was never a debate," said Carragher. "Ronaldo's nowhere near the level of Messi. Ronaldo is one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, Messi is the greatest player of all time, it's not even close. Ronaldo scored goals, Messi scored goals and was an unbelievable player."

Furthermore, it has been reported that Messi had turned down an offer to appear on the popular programme because Carragher was on the show. Last year, Carragher revealed that Messi had sent him a private message on Instagram after he criticised his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, with the Argentina legend allegedly calling him a 'donkey'. And it's clear that the feud is not over as the Argentinian rejected the chance to join the American show. It led Abdo to poke fun at the Liverpudlian, claiming it was his fault: "You know that we made an official invitation, extended one to Inter Miami and we asked him to come on the show, do you know what the official response was?" Abdo asked the cast. "Apparently Lionel Messi will not be doing any television shows that Jamie Carragher is a part of."

Messi recently won his eighth Ballon d'Or award after playing a starring role as Argentina won at the World Cup last year and beat Manchester City's Erling Haaland for the award, while Ronaldo was not nominated in the top 30 players in the world for the first time in two decades.