Kipchoge gives his verdict on Messi vs. Cristiano debate

Eliud Kipchoge, now 41, spent two decades redefining what the human body can do, earning near‑universal recognition as the greatest marathon runner of all time.

After completing all seven World Marathon Majors—winning an astonishing 11 of them—he’s ready for a new chapter. Over the next two and a half years, he’ll take his career to the far corners of the globe through the Eliud Kipchoge World Tour, an initiative designed to raise funds for his foundation, which focuses on education, environmental sustainability, and health. His goal isn’t to prove his greatness, he says, but to share it.

A new chapter opens for Kipchoge

“What I am doing is not retiring. I am evolving. I am running for purpose,” the two‑time Olympic champion told the BBC. “Running is the most universal sport. I want to inspire, to give back, and to remind everyone that no human is limited.”

Known as The Philosopher, Kipchoge became the first person in history to break the two‑hour barrier in the marathon—though the time wasn’t ratified as an official world record because it didn’t meet World Athletics requirements.

“If I look at the last 23 years, the highlight was making history,” he says. “Not winning medals, not even breaking world records, but opening the minds of people around the world to believe that they are not limited in anything they are doing. I want to leave a legacy of education. It is about pushing your limits. I want to show the world that you can still push your limits in anything, even in the toughest conditions. I have nothing more to prove to the world. What I want now is to sell the spirit of running to the next generation.”

Kipchoge also expressed his criticism of how the business of athletics is structured: “I am not satisfied with how athletes are being handled or how they are being paid. The sports world is making huge profits, but very little goes to the athlete. It’s a real concern. And it’s a huge gap. If you do not appreciate somebody, they will move away. And if they move away without knowledge, that is a real window for exploitation. Talent does not look like talent if you do not nurture it. A diamond is just a stone. If it is crafted well, it becomes something valuable. If it is not, it remains just a stone.”

The Kenyan champions the importance of sport, and therein lies part of his vision for many future projects: “We want to give young people options. Sport can change society, but only if it is handled in the right way.”

Messi or Cristiano?

Once he gets down to business, Kipchoge, a football fanatic, doesn’t hesitate to choose between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo: “I’d go with Cristiano. He works hard every day to improve his talent.”

Finally, if he had to choose a human being to go running with, he says: “Barack Obama. Because he’s a real human being.”

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