The soccer fever must have been on a high amongst the F1 drivers, as it was around the world, during the FIFA World Cup final. Several drivers had predicted their favorites to win the Cup. Eventually, it was Lionel Messi and Argentina who took that elusive victory. Nonetheless, there have been debates on who is the GOAT between Messi and his counterpart Cristiano Ronaldo. The question is quite tough and F1 champion Max Verstappen has tried to settle this debate.

Verstappen put forth his views on this Soccer GOAT debate ahead of the World Cup Final between Argentina and France. As per GPFans.com, speaking to Viaplay in the Netherlands, Max said, “They are very different, so I can’t choose.”

“I find it impossible to choose because I think [Lionel] Messi has more talent than Cristiano [Ronaldo], but Cristiano has just kept on working and being incredibly fit.”

The Red Bull driver added how Ronaldo has matched up with Messi in his own ways. He stated, “I mean what he [Ronaldo] does at his age is incredible, but that’s how you can become very, very good as well.”

Verstappen himself was supporting the Netherlands team in the World Cup. Unfortunately, the Dutch fell prey to eventual champions, Argentina, in the Quarter Finals itself. And with Messi’s World Cup performance, he has also won the BBC World Sport of the Year award, for which Max was a contender in 2022.

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Verstappen would have been disappointed about the Dutch team not going far in the World Cup. But there were several other drivers who got their predictions wrong and may resonate with him.

Apart from Max Verstappen what was the fate of other Drivers’ World Cup Predictions?

Max Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez was the only one who got his prediction right. The Mexican has predicted that he would love Mexico to win. Although he knew that it is a long shot for his home country. So he hedged his bets on Argentina. While it can be counted as half a point, at least he got that right.

Crossing over to the Spaniard duo of Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, their hopes of a Spanish fairytale did not come to fruition. Spain’s campaign got over in the Round of 16 stage itself against Morocco.

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Similarly, Lewis Hamilton’s home countries England and Brazil could not cross the Quarter Final stage. Hamilton recently became an honorary citizen of Brazil, so he surely was backing Neymar and Co. Besides Lewis, the 2023 Alpine duo of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly may have gotten the biggest disappointment.

Ocon and Gasly were backing France to take a consecutive World Cup win. But “Les Bleus” fell short in the Final against Argentina. Like Gasly, even Daniel Ricciardo’s prediction of France or Australia winning was cut short, in the last 16 for the Aussies.

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In essence, Messi and Argentina have thrashed many predictions to take their elusive World Cup after 36 years. Now, does that make Leo Messi the GOAT of Soccer? That is completely up to your opinion. Like Verstappen said: It is impossible to choose!