Rogers swaps Ronaldo loyalty for Messi after World Cup semi‑final
In a recent Cristiano Ronaldo Debate, Morgan Rogers Answers Lionel Messi, the England international revealed a dramatic shift in his GOAT opinion after the 2026 World Cup semi‑final. He had long favoured Ronaldo, but the encounter with Messi forced a reassessment of his stance.
Rogers’ original favourite
During a 2024 interview with Chelsea’s official website, Rogers placed Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of his personal ranking, describing him as his favourite player of the two. When asked to name his five all‑time greats, he listed Ronaldo first, followed by Neymar, Paul Pogba, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, omitting Messi entirely. At the time he was an Aston Villa ace, still convinced that Ronaldo’s record‑breaking goal tally made him the superior talent.
Ronaldo is recognised as the top goalscorer in history and is chasing the milestone of 1,000 career goals, while Messi holds the record for the most team trophies won by a player. Together they have amassed 13 Ballon d’Or awards, underscoring the magnitude of the debate that pits the two icons against each other.
World Cup semi‑final reshapes opinion
England’s 2‑1 semi‑final loss to Argentina at the 2026 World Cup proved pivotal for Rogers. He played the full 90 minutes and later explained, "Ronaldo was my personal favourite, but I played Messi in that World Cup semi‑final, he’s 39. I couldn’t believe, I can’t imagine what he was like in his prime. I can imagine him in his prime being absolutely nothing you can do, like it’s impossible. But it was borderline nothing you could do in that game and he’s 39!"
Messi, at 39, assisted Lautaro Martínez’s winner, securing Argentina’s third World Cup final and earning the title of the most impressive player on the pitch. His performance reinforced his status as the second‑highest‑scoring player in the competition’s history and added weight to arguments that he may have settled the GOAT debate after lifting the 2022 international trophy.
Calum’s rise at GiveMeSport
Caean Couto (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters) introduced Calum as a GiveMeSport journalist covering the biggest stories in world sport. He took part in the GiveMeSport Academy in early 2023, joined the team full‑time in June of that year and was promoted to editor shortly thereafter.
Calum’s progression followed the completion of a Freelance Journalism course through the British College of Journalism. He has also produced news content for HITC Sport and Read Liverpool, creating a wide range of material for GMS, from news and opinion to viral sport content.
Beyond football, Calum has covered boxing, tennis and wrestling, demonstrating a broad commitment to Sport journalism. His portfolio reflects the diverse output expected from a modern editor at GiveMeSport, where he now leads coverage of the world’s biggest sporting events.
Rogers’ changed view after the World Cup semi‑final and Calum’s editorial journey illustrate two distinct ways the beautiful game influences careers – on the pitch and behind the scenes.