The part that does not make sense is if Messi is top 3 or 4 or 5 ever (he is) then so is Ronaldo (he is). They have been neck and neck their whole careers and the big debate has always been Messi vs Ronaldo.
As for this debate here and this poll this forum has always been VERY tilted towards one way and I have said that even before it was open again.
Doesnt make sense for you because you seem to live in a different reality where the quality of a football player is defined by factors like heading, the balon de or votes for the last 15 years, etc. . It does make sense for most people, for people that think that the best football players of all time are... well, the best football players of all time, as in, the ones that played with a ball on their feet the best.
In most people's eyes, CR7 is not a better football player than Maradona was. Not close. He was never as good or better than Pele either, or Messi. At least in the mind of most people.
For me, CR7 is a legend of the game. TOP 10 player for sure, above legends like Van Basten, Zidane, Iniesta, Xavi, or in the same tier or slightly above players like Di Stefano, Ronaldo, Beckenbauer etc.
Then you have 4 geniuses. Cruyff, Maradona, Pele and Messi. Players that changed the game and cemented their names in history. Players that could do with a ball things that nobody else could. TBH, i could even put CR7 on there too, maybe on par with Cruyff, simply because of how the machine that is CR7, without having half the ball skills Cruyff had, won more than he did and did it for so long.
But above those two, there is simply no question on who's the best. Argentinians say its Maradona because he gave them a world cup, Brazilians and old people will say its Pele for obvious reasons, and most other people will say its Messi.
But thats it. There is only room for 3 up there, and those 3 are FAR above anyone else including Cruyff and CR7. There is no way you can leave out any of those 3 down to bring CR7 up. The podium of the greatest of all time just doesnt work if you say its CR7, Maradona and Pele. Just doesnt seem right for most people, thats just plain wrong, and even your stomach would tell you that it is bullshit.
A podium of Messi, Pele and Maradona however, feels good on the belly. Just use your common sense my friend and realize who's the best. Just, give it up already. CR7 is great, top 5 of all time, there i said it. Just leave it at that man, there is no shame on that.