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Karachi. Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar got trolled on social media after giving his opinion on Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. Akhtar was on the panel of football show Tapmad and PTV during the title match played between Argentina and Spain. However, both his presence and his statements on football did not go down well with many viewers.

Shoaib Akhtar said during the discussion that in the history of football there has been no bigger brand than Cristiano Ronaldo. According to him, in the last decade, FIFA and many big football leagues of the world took full advantage of Ronaldo’s popularity. Akhtar said Ronaldo’s commercial influence and global recognition make him the biggest brand in football.

However, Akhtar also made it clear that if it is just a matter of his ability to play football, Lionel Messi is a player of a different level. He said that Messi’s game, control of the ball, his influence on the field and his ability to draw the opposing players towards himself make him different from other players. Akhtar even said that Ronaldo is not even close to Messi in terms of football. He appreciated Ronaldo’s hard work and

As soon as this statement of Akhtar came out, debate started on social media. Many users raised the question that despite being a cricketer, how did he reach the analysis panel of the Football World Cup. Some people ridiculed his analysis, while others supported his opinion. Akhtar’s comment created a new controversy in the already ongoing ‘GOAT’ debate between Messi and Ronaldo fans.