Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo have both been incredible over the duration of their careers.But which one is and has been the better player?That was a question put to 16 members of the BT Sport team before Barcelona and Juventus' Champions League clash on Tuesday evening.Gary Lineker, Michael Owen and Rio Ferdinand were among the names to give their opinion and you can view their answers below...

Peter Crouch - Lionel Messi

"Just the naturally gifted player the world has ever seen", Crouch says of Messi.

Gary Lineker - Lionel Messi 

Lineker sided with Messi, stating: "Messi is the greater player and has a better all-round game. Messi is the best passer I've ever seen, the best dribbler I've ever seen and his numbers in terms of goals are right up there with the very best."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Leon Osman - Cristiano Ronaldo

"For me I'll have to go with Ronaldo", Osman started. "It's a close argument, they're both very skillful... but Ronaldo has really stepped up his game. He was given the talent that he was but he's really worked to make himself better physically and tactically and he's not been happy to do it in once place."

Ralph Honigstein - Lionel Messi

"For me, there is no question", Honigstein said. "Lionel Messi is always the right answer. Messi has been the most sublime footballer I've ever seen play. He's head and shoulders above everyone else, including Cristiano Ronaldo."

Rachel Brown-Finnis - Cristiano Ronaldo

"Ronaldo has maximised his talent more so then Messi. I'm going to stick with the might of Ronaldo," Brown-Finnis said.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Chris Sutton - Lionel Messi

"If I had to choose one, I'm choosing Messi. He'd be better to watch in the back garden," Sutton answered.

Alan Stubbs - Cristiano Ronaldo

"Ronaldo on the basis that he's done it in the toughest leagues in the world," the former Everton and Bolton defender said.

Karen Carney - Cristiano Ronaldo 

"He's [Ronaldo] evolved and changed football in terms of physicality," Carney said of the Juventus star.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Andy Brassell - Cristiano Ronaldo

"It has to be Ronaldo for me," the sports writer answered. "To see how he's completely remodeled his game to stay relevant and stay at the top of the game is something else."

Gareth Barry - Lionel Messi

"Lionel Messi. I love the way he plays the game, if I could pay to watch one person it would be him," Barry said.

Julien Laurens - Lionel Messi

"To me there is no debate. Messi is the man. There is only one GOAT and that is Messi," Laurens stated.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Joe Cole - Lionel Messi

"I'm going to go with Messi," Cole answered. "Some of the things he does with the football just defy logic. I just can't believe how composed he is in the final third, he can do everything. We need to cherish him because it would be a long time until we see something with his kind of quality again."

Michael Owen - Lionel Messi

"I would probably just edge with Lionel Messi. I think he's naturally more gifted - he was put on this planet to play football," Owen said.

Michael Brown - Lionel Messi

Brown stated: "Some of the things he keeps doing is remarkable. It has to be Lionel Messi for me."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Robbie Savage - Cristiano Ronaldo

Savage went with Ronaldo, saying: "Both are from a different planet, both work incredibly hard, but for me Ronaldo edges it because he's done it in England, Spain, Italy and for his country."

Rio Ferdinand - Neither

Ferdinand, who played alongside Ronaldo at Man United, was reluctant to pick between the two.

"I think we should just enjoy them. We're blessed to be part of the generation that can just sit, watch them and play against them. They're different players to me; one is an out-and-out goalscorer and one of them is more involved in the game."

FINAL SCORE:

Lionel Messi 9-6 Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Whether you have an opinion on who is better or not, Ferdinand summed it up perfectly.

We truly are blessed to have watched these two dominate the sport for the past few decades and it will be a very sad day when both of them hang up their boots.