Lies Vandenberghe Reflects on Two Decades of Messi‑Ronaldo Rivalry

Lies Vandenberghe, sport anchor at VTM, wrote on June 17 2026 during the World Cup about the enduring Messi versus Ronaldo debate. She notes that the discussion has persisted for twenty years, fueled by AI videos that juxtapose the stars’ younger and current selves. She observes that Instagram feeds repeatedly feature AI clips where a young Lionel Messi meets today’s Messi and a youthful Cristiano Ronaldo embraces his early‑World‑Cup self. The videos also pair the legends with emerging talents. Lies Vandenberghe adds that the same AI reels showcase Luka Modric, Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne, despite her awareness that the footage is fabricated. She admits she watches them repeatedly, even when a cheesy song accompanies the clips. She quotes herself asking, “Wie vind jij de beste: Messi of Ronaldo?” at the end of guest lectures, noting that students often pose the question. The query still surfaces in her social media after two decades.

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She remarks that Messi and Ronaldo have claimed virtually every major award in the past twenty years. She also points out that Luka Modric secured the Ballon d'Or once during that span. Lies Vandenberghe highlights Neymar’s long‑standing status as a crown prince of football and Kevin De Bruyne’s rise to possibly the best midfielder of his generation. She includes Manuel Neuer, Son and Mohamed Salah as further icons of the era. She states that the current generation is nearing its final chapter, with Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Yamal, Bellingham and Doku poised to inherit the spotlight. None of these successors have yet accumulated twenty years of experience. She concludes that the question of who was better may never have mattered, emphasizing that the beauty lay in both legends sharing the stage for two decades. “Twintig jaar lang probeerden we de verkeerde vraag te beantwoorden,” she reflects, underscoring the lasting impact of their rivalry.