Pears Morgan ranks Lionel Messi as fourth best footballer ever behind Cristiano Ronaldo. Pears Morgan has named Lionel Messi as the fourth greatest footballer of all time. Messi, reached his second World Cup final and sensational style on Tuesday night as he scored and assisted in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Croatia. Yet despite Messi's influential displays in Qatar Morgan still believes Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time. The Sunsport columnist did begin by acknowledging Messi and Argentina for reaching the final. Speaking on Twitter, he said. Congratulations to Argentina and Lionel Messi on reaching the World Cup final. Never doubted them. But England legend Gary Linnaker, who has always maintained Messi as the best ever, then asked Morgan. Is there still a debate? Asking for a goat. To which he replied. There isn't. It's Ronaldo. Morgan responded by insisting Messi doesn't even break into his top three, ranking both Diego Maradona and even Brazilian Ronaldo ahead of him, too. He said. I think Cristiano Ronaldo's the best ever, Maradona's second, Messi third, possibly fourth actually, behind Brazilian Ronaldo.