Published 12/18/2022, 10:44 PM EST
Soccer superstar Lionel Messi was finally able to win the FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Something that has eluded the Argentinian all these years. At 35 years of age, this was probably Messi’s last World Cup appearance as the Argentina squad went up against Kylian Mbappe and the French national team. However, a UFC star’s comparison of Messi to some of America’s greatest athletes has fans on Twitter going berserk.
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UFC star Santiago Ponzinibbio, who was born in La Plata, Argentina, drew comparisons between Lionel Messi and some of the most notable names in American sports history.
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Argentinian UFC star makes bold Lionel Messi comparison
He compared the soccer legend to Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Ponzinibbio also threw in boxing legend Muhammed Ali’s name in the mix. However, fans were just not on board with the UFC fighter’s comparison.
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates winning the World Cup after the penalty shootout REUTERS/Molly Darlington
He said, “I think it’s Michael Jordan, these kind of guys. Legends of the sport, all-time. I think Messi is on this level. Michael Jordan. Tom Brady,” while adding Muhammed Ali to the list as well.
Fans were seemingly unhappy with Ponzinibbio putting the likes of Brady, Ali, and Jordan in the same category as Messi.
Here are some of the reactions from Twitter:
All three sports figures mentioned are or were undoubtedly among the best, if not arguably the best in their respective sports.
What made these American legends so great?
Muhammed Ali is widely known as the greatest boxer of all time. His speed, quickness, and maneuverability revolutionized the sport, leading to new tactics and techniques.
Tom Brady’s list of Super Bowl wins and the rest of the accolades he has won is the most so far by a huge margin in the sport. No player or even a team in NFL history has come close to his seven Super Bowl wins.
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Watch This Story – 5 reasons why Michael Jordan’s 96 Bulls deserve to be crowned the greatest team of all time
And as for Michael Jordan, he was physically gifted right from the get-go. He was able to do things on the court that possibly no one in the history of basketball has been able to duplicate till now. Add his perfect Finals record and six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, and one can see why he is argued as the GOAT of basketball.
As for Lionel Messi, he has now won every award there is in the field of soccer, as the only thing that was missing from his shelf of awards was a World Cup win.
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Is Messi in a league of sporting greatness all by himself, above the names mentioned by Santiago Ponzinibbio? Or is Messi now on par with the likes of Brady, Jordan, and Ali?
Let us know what you think in the comments section down below.
“Who the Hell Is Tom Brady?”: Twitter Goes Berserk at UFC Star for Equating Lionel Messi to Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali
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