Not Lionel Messi: Son Heung-Min chooses his favorite World Cup legend of all time

A little less than 100 days remain before the 2026 World Cup begins, and the excitement surrounding the tournament is already growing. Conversations about the competition are becoming more frequent, and it is always interesting to hear stars share their views. This time, it was LAFC star Son Heung-Min of South Korea, who chose his favorite player in the history of the tournament, and surprisingly, it was not his current MLS rival, Lionel Messi.

With the event in North America drawing closer, FIFA’s official social media accounts released a video this week showing players from different national teams selecting their favorite legend in World Cup history.

Among them was Son Heung-Min, who did not hesitate in his answer: “Cristiano Ronaldo.” Unlike many of the other players interviewed, the LAFC star did not choose an icon from his own country, instead basing his selection on personal preference and his admiration for the Portuguese forward’s qualities.

This is not the first time Son has highlighted Ronaldo above any other player. In fact, a few months ago, he also mentioned the Portuguese star as an inspiration. “Cristiano Ronaldo has always been my biggest idol and I have grown up watching him when he was playing for Manchester United alongside Park Ji Sun. I still watch him play and he is still my idol,” Son said.

The choices of other players

Other players gave a variety of answers. South Korea star Lee Jae-sung chose a legend from his own country, Park Ji Sung. Others did the same, including Brazil’s Estevao, who picked Ronaldo Nazario, Colombia’s Luis Diaz, who highlighted Radamel Falcao Garcia, and Japan’s Takefusa Kubo, who named Yuto Nagatomo.

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Cristiano Ronaldo above Messi in the World Cups?

The debate appears balanced at first glance, considering the names involved. However, there is already a significant difference that likely places each player in his own position. Messi is a World Cup champion and a two-time finalist, while Cristiano Ronaldo reached the semifinals in 2006 but lost and later lost the match for third place.

In Ronaldo’s favor, he is among the players who have appeared in the most editions of the FIFA tournament in history. So far, he has played in five, starting with Germany 2006, and he is tied with players such as Lionel Messi, Lothar Matthaus, Gianluigi Buffon, and Andres Guardado. In fact, this year he could break that record and become the first player to appear in six World Cups, something Messi could also achieve.

Still, this comparison does not analyze the full context. On one side there are Argentina, probably the second or third best national team in history behind Brazil, and on the other side, there are Portugal, a national team that has grown since the arrival of Ronaldo but has not yet reached the same historical level. He has played 22 matches at the World Cup, fifth on the all-time list, recording 8 goals and 2 assists.