Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? From at least one insider's point of view, the answer is Messi.

Recently retired soccer player Thierry Henry chose Messi when Fifa.com asked him to choose between two of the most recognizable names in soccer nowadays, in a wide-ranging interview that also checked on the possibility of him taking a coaching job and his new job as an analyst.

But not that it's an objective choice.

"Well, I played with Leo, so you can guess my answer," he said. "I have enormous respect for Cristiano who has managed to remain at the highest level for many years -- and by that I mean at an extraordinarily high level... I don't think we fully realise just what these guys are achieving. So, while huge respect goes to Ronaldo, having played with Messi and shared extraordinary moments with him, both in victory and defeat, it has to be Leo."

One amusing point is that, for Year 2014, he presented Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or, the holy grail of soccer, noted the report. He himself was short-listed for the top award from 2000 to 2006, although his closest achievement was a Top 3 finish at two points.

As far as the award goes, the Argentine leads by one, having won from 2010 to 2012, noted Fifa. The Portuguese won in 2008, 2013 and 2014.

In the latest race, both shared the Top 3 feat with German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who, Henry said in the interview, was the highlight of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

After making the veteran choose, the interview harked back to the first time he and Messi played in one team, asking: "When you arrived at Barça [Barcelona] in 2007, was it already obvious to you that Messi was really special?"

The 37-year-old answered on the affirmative: "It was obvious to everyone, right from the start, and you didn't have to be an expert to see it."

"From the very first training session I had with him, what struck me was his desire to head for goal and score. He'd get the ball and that would be his sole focus," he explained. "Leo was, and still is, special... We should be happy that we're able to watch him play. One day he'll leave it all behind and football will miss him dearly, so we should enjoy him while we can."

They were teammates until 2010, noted the Bleacher Report.

But while one can say that the answer is biased, Henry's two decades -- defending for the likes of Juventus, Barcelona, Arsenal and the French national team -- before calling it quits in December would mean that his opinion speaks volumes.

Times Live agrees, adding that a knowledgeable soccer player's opinion is worth listening to.

His football know-how would not have rusted yet, too, since he is a commentator on Sky Sports and a trainer for the Arsenal youth team, per the Bleacher Report.