Messi named one player above anyone else he’d seen live.
Lionel Messi has ranked one player above the rest when it comes to the best player he has seen on a football pitch – and it speaks volumes about how great he really was.
The 37-year-old forward has come face-to-face with some of the most talented players of all time.
Of course, the Argentine graduated from Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and went on to play alongside the likes of Carlos Puyol, Xavi, Deco, Andres Iniesta and Ronaldinho, to name just a few.
He would go on to form one of the most devastating forward trios in recent memory alongside Neymar Jr and Luis Suarez, helping Barcelona win 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns before departing for Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite being blessed with some of the best teammates a player could ever wish for, it was an opponent who Messi named as the greatest player he’d ever seen live in the flesh. And no, it wasn’t Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi instead gave the nod to a Brazilian icon. Speaking to TyC Sports in 2020, he said: “Ronaldo Nazario was a phenomenom. Of all the strikers I have seen, for me he was the best. An impressive player from any aspect.”
The World Cup winner also paid tribute to former Barcelona teammate Ronaldinho for his guidance during his early days at the Catalan giants.
He added: “He helped me a lot. I came into the dressing room at 16-years-old. Doing so and seeing all these greats was difficult. He took me under his wing, he made me feel comfortable, so that I let go.
“On the pitch I was always looking for him. We played for a few years together. In this era I didn’t play much. I would have liked to play a lot more with him.”
Messi alongside the Brazilian Ronaldo. Image credit: Getty
Messi’s rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo over the years will go down in history but the current Inter Miami star has had nothing but praise for his counterpart over the years.
He told DAZN: “It was a special duel with Cristiano that will remain forever. It lasted many years, and it is not easy to maintain certain levels for a long time.”
Messi added: “Our teams were also very demanding: Real Madrid and Barcelona, the two strongest clubs in the world. “Competing as equals for so many years is something that will remain forever.”