"Don't compare anyone with that" - Pundit claims Chelsea star Cole Palmer will never reach Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's level

Former Chelsea attacker Pat Nevin has asserted that no football player should be compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, including Cole Palmer. The 22-year-old has emerged as a key player for Chelsea in recent seasons.

In his first season at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman won the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Moreover, Palmer was also the Blues' top goalscorer in the 2024-25 season with 18 goals across all competitions.

With consistency and the help of his new teammates, Pat Nevin believes that Palmer could become the next Zinedine Zidane. However, the former Scottish winger thinks that the Englishman should not be compared with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Nevin told Compare.bet (via GOAL):

"The comparison between Cole Palmer and Zinedine Zidane was fine a year ago. It wasn't fine last year. But it could be fine again. Look, he is definitely a world-class player. He's still young, very young. Remember back in the Euros, and it was all about a lot of other players, Cole seemed to be sitting on the bench." "He's right up at the level. So, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, don't compare anyone with that because it's not fair. But next level beneath. I think he's pretty close there already as it is, but he needs to do it year in, year out. And last year was quite a year," he added.

Pat Navin also talked about Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian, who have arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer. He claimed that they would help Palmer improve his game, which would benefit the team. Nevin added:

"What's going to help him this year is the players around him, Estevao and James Gittens, they're probably going to make it a bit easier for him and everybody else getting stronger."

Since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in September 2023, Palmer has scored 43 goals and has provided 29 assists in 97 appearances across all competitions.

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When Chelsea icon was asked to pick between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Former Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante was asked to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate in 2016. Messi and Ronaldo shared an iconic rivalry in football, winning multiple individual and team accolades while dominating the sport for almost two decades.

In 2016, French midfielder N'Golo Kante was asked to choose between the two football icons. The Chelsea icon was a part of Leicester City at the time. Nevertheless, he made a clear pick by choosing Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo.

He said in an interview (via Pulse Sport):

"Messi."

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, which he joined in the summer of 2023 on a three-year deal from Chelsea. He has made 79 appearances for the Saudi giants in two seasons.

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava