There is no wrong answer in the debate of whose goal was better, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s or Cristiano Ronaldo’s, but Atlanta United’s players were asked after training on Wednesday which strike they preferred.
Ibrahimovic’s was a 45-yard missile against LAFC on Saturday. It was the 36-year-old’s first goal in MLS for the L.A. Galaxy and tied the game at 3. The Galaxy would go on to win 4-3.
Ronaldo’s was a bicycle kick on Tuesday that gave Real Madrid a 2-0 lead over Juventus in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League in Turn, Italy. Real Madrid would go on to win 3-0 in the first leg of the two-leg semifinal. The crowd in Turin, home of Juventus, gave Ronaldo a standing ovation.
Atlanta United midfielder Chris McCann’s answer:
“Come on.
“I think Ibrahimovic said it last night on Twitter, ‘Can you do it from 40 yards?’
“It was an incredible goal last night. The stadium applauded as well, which shows how good of a goal it was and how much respect people have for him.
“I was at home watching and walked around saying ‘Anybody else see this in the house?’
“It was a great strike from a great player.”
Julian Gressel’s answer:
“Probably Ronaldo’s. The way he got up there, that was really high. That was pretty sick.”
And the stakes were higher.
“Little more important than L.A. Galaxy and LAFC.”
Ibrahimovic, speaking to ESPN, said
"I think it's a big difference, because he scored in the Champions League, I scored in MLS. It's a big difference.
"A goal is a goal. If you can help your team to score a goal, it's important, however you score. But when you score beautiful, of course, it's more ... nice, let's say, that it's beautiful. It feels really good."
