Former Real Madrid striker Nicolas Anelka has questioned the decisions of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to play on.

Ronaldo left Juventus for a Manchester United return this season, while Messi was forced out of Barcelona for PSG.

Anelka told RMC: "This is what happens to players who want to play longer. Their careers are over and I think they both need to be very happy with what they have accomplished over the last 15 years. They were above everyone else and now it is normal for them to slow down.

"I was more surprised with Messi than with Ronaldo, I thought that Messi would turn it around in France and that Ronaldo would have a harder time in England because, for me, the Premier League is the most demanding league in the world. (They) were not intelligent.

"They should have thought about taking on a less complicated challenge because you have to make the right decision to finish on top. There are players who do not hesitate to finish close to 32, 33, 34 and should not be criticised. I stopped at 36, but at 32 I moved to China."