If he can be debated as the best ever, and he can be, he's not dropping past 2nd.
Messi and Ronaldo are the two best players to ever play this game. The likes of Cruyff, Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Best, etc. are fighting it out for #3.
Nobody really puts Ronaldo in the best ever conversation. He's an utterly outstanding footballer but I think a lot of older people would laugh at putting him ahead of Pele and Maradona
With just cause.