Tom Heaton astonished by Ronaldo's achievements, terms him football's best-ever player  

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi. — AFP/X/@AlNassrFC_EN/File

As football fans and critics continue to fuel the football's greatest of all time (GOAT) debate revolving around Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, former Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton believes that the Al Nassr striker surpasses the Argentine star on the football pitch.

Speaking to MUTV, Heaton said: "In my opinion, the GOAT is Cristiano [...] What he has achieved has been incredible," goal.com reported.

Reflecting on his experience with Ronaldo as his teammate, Heaton said that the Portuguese striker has preserved the same hunger and drive to succeed and dominate the pitch as he had when he joined the United early in his career.

The Al Nassr star and Messi are often pitted against one another by football fans and critics alike with some favouring the Portuguese star, whereas some consider the Argentine striker as football's best-ever player.

In a career spanning more than a decade, Ronaldo, now 38, has played for various clubs including Real Madrid, Juventus and others and recently reached a landmark milestone by featuring in the 1,200th match of his career.

During his first tenure with United, Ronaldo not only scored a remarkable tally of 118 goals but also managed to bag Premier League and Champions League titles along with his first Golden Balls.