Cristiano Ronaldo is 'not at the same level he was', says Luis Suarez

The Barcelona striker rates his team-mate Lionel Messi higher

Even in a side of galacticos, Cristiano Ronaldo outshines his team-mates (REX)

Perhaps unsurprisingly Luis Suarez falls on the side of his Barcelona team-mate in the debate over which is the better player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, when discussing the latter, Suarez appeared to suggest that Ronaldo is a fading force.

Suarez has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Messi since linking up with the four-time Ballon d'Or winner at the Nou Camp following his move from Liverpool and has seen enough to claim the Argentinian is the best on the planet.

"Messi is natural, it is his character. He is the best in the world," Suarez told Algerian football magazine Le Buteur, "but he was born with his qualities."

Luis Suarez celebrates his first hat-trick for Barcelona with Neymar and Lionel Messi (Getty Images)

The former Liverpool striker is not quite so impressed with Ronaldo though.

"Ronaldo has progressed and worked a lot to perform how he does. He's not at the same level he was when he started."

The suggestion that Ronaldo is slipping from his peak - a position that's seen him win the Ballon d'Or ahead of Messi for the last two years - comes despite 56 goals in all competitions for the Portugal player this season.

But Suarez knows where he stands on the greatest debate in football.

"I think Leo is the best."