Lionel Messi didn’t hesitate when naming the greatest footballer he’s seen play live

Lionel Messi did not hesitate to name the great footballer he has seen play live

The Barcelona legend has no doubts about who is the best player he has ever seen.

Despite playing alongside many of the best players, Lionel Messi has no doubt about who is the greatest football player he has ever seen.

Having been a part of one of the most impressive teams ever at Barcelona, ​​Messi has played with and against some of the best footballers to ever play the game.

At Barcelona, ​​Messi was teammates with players such as Carlos Puyol,

And yet, when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was asked to pick the greatest player he had ever seen play live, he didn’t name any of them.

Although Messi has enjoyed some of the best teammates a player could dream of, he instead named a former rival as the best player he had ever seen play live.

But, despite their long-term rivalry, Messi did not name Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, as Argentina gave the nod to Brazilian icon Ronaldo Nazario instead.

“Ronaldo Nazario was a phenomenal person,” Messi told TYC Sports in 2020.

“For me, he was the best striker I have seen. An impressive player in every aspect.”

However, the World Cup winner also paid tribute to Ronaldinho for his guidance during his early days at the Catalan club.

He added: “He helped me a lot. I came into the dressing room at the age of 16. It was hard to do that and see all these greats. He took me under his wing, he made me feel comfortable, which made me let go.

“On the pitch I was always looking for him. We played together for a few years. I did not play much during this period. I would love to play with him more.”

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are widely considered to be the two greatest footballers of all time. (Image: Getty)

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are widely considered to be the two greatest footballers of all time. (Image: Getty)

Messi’s rivalry with Ronaldo over the years will probably go down as one of the greatest rivalries in the history of football, but the current Inter Miami star has nothing but praise for his counterpart over the years.

He told DAZN: “It was a special duel with Cristiano that will last forever.

“This went on for many years, and it is not easy to maintain certain levels for a long time.

“Our teams were also very demanding: Real Madrid and Barcelona, ​​the two strongest clubs in the world. “Competing on an equal footing for so many years is something that will last forever.”

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Topics: lionel messi, cristiano ronaldo, barcelona, ​​real madrid, el clasico, ronaldo nazario, football

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