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Lionel Messi recently picked up his seventh Ballon d'Or award, an unprecedented world record that potentially only Cristiano Ronaldo can reach with five. The Argentine star now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, where his performances have been below par. But Messi stole the show during the Copa America 2021 with Argentina and guided Barcelona to the Copa del Rey title earlier in the year.
Irrespective of opinion, one fact is clear: Lionel Messi is one of the greatest players in world football. The innumerable records he has broken only prove it further. Now 34-years old, the Argentine maestro still has a few more years to give to the beautiful game before he retires.
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His fans will strongly argue that Lionel Messi is the best footballer to have ever lived. Some of his teammates and even rivals have also assumed a similar stance. Messi is often compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has broken innumerable records as well, or even the late Argentine wizard Diego Maradona.
Messi had a career-long rivalry with Ronaldo, with which the duo stole an entire decade of Ballon d'Ors. Due to this many fans and even legends have had to take sides. So, here are 10 football legends who believe that Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer in history:
#10 David Beckham | Manchester United legend
David Beckham played for Manchester United and Real Madrid, two teams that Cristiano Ronaldo played for as well. But the England legend has picked Lionel Messi as his greatest ever. According to the world-class free-kick taker, the Argentine maestro is alone in his class as a player, and Ronaldo does not compare. He said:
“They have similarities in their technical skills and talent, and it is amazing for football to have them both present, but Messi is simply the best player in the world. He [Messi] is alone in his class as a player, it is impossible that there is another like him. He, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not at his level, are both above the rest.”
#9 Marco van Basten | Milan legend
Marco van Basten spent his entire career playing as a striker for Ajax and AC Milan, where he managed 277 goals in 373 appearances. The legendary Rossoneri striker has managed the Netherlands national team, as well as three other clubs. But van Basten has not found a better player than Lionel Messi.
According to the Dutchman, a player like Messi comes every 50 or 100 years. He said:
“Cristiano is a great player, but those who say he is better than Messi know nothing about football, or they are saying it in bad faith. Messi is one of a kind. Impossible to imitate and impossible to repeat. A player like him comes along every 50 or 100 years.”
#8 Ronaldinho | Barcelona legend
Both were international rivals, with Lionel Messi showing up for Argentina and Ronaldinho coming out for Brazil. But at club level they rejuvenated Barcelona together. While Ronaldinho was already an established playmaker with all the flair in the world, Messi was just getting his first chances in the first team.
But for a short time, the duo gelled on the pitch, showcasing some of the best football ever played to Barcelona's Blaugranes. Ronaldinho certainly wishes they played together more. He once said:
"Messi. I would have loved to continue playing alongside him. I didn't get enough time with him, he was very young. I'd love to take to the pitch with him one more time. He's the best in history, no doubt. Nobody has done what Messi's done. The other one [Ronaldo] is complete, he has it all. So does Messi, but it's a question of taste and I prefer Messi's style.”
#7 Ronaldo Nazario | Real Madrid legend
Before Cristiano Ronaldo's influence hit the world, Ronaldo Nazario was arguably the best striker La Liga had seen in recent years. The current Real Valladolid owner took over the domestic league by storm, averaging over a goal every two games.
Although Cristiano Ronaldo quickly surpassed his goalscoring record, the Brazilian believes Lionel Messi is a more complete player. He said:
“He (Messi) is out of this world. Cristiano, too, but I see Leo as more complete. He's great. I like him much more than any other player. Everything he does is spectacular.”
#6 Wayne Rooney | Manchester United legend
Like David Beckham, Wayne Rooney had a scintillating career at Old Trafford. The former Everton star and Cristiano Ronaldo were teammates during the Portuguese maestro's first stint at Manchester United. They formed a deadly duo in attack for the Red Devils.
Ronaldo's brilliance might have stunned the United faithful on more than one occasion. But that hasn't stopped Wayne Rooney from seeing Lionel Messi as the greatest footballer ever. He once mentioned:
“Messi. I think I've said this before, but they're both probably the best two players to ever play the game. I just think Messi is, in my eyes, the greatest ever."
#5 Paul Scholes | Manchester United legend
The former Manchester United midfielder is another of Cristiano Ronaldo's team-mates who has sided with popular Cules belief that Lionel Messi is the greatest ever. The star may have been amazed by Ronaldo at Old Trafford. But perhaps their famous Champions League game against Barcelona in 2009 was enough to convince Paul Scholes.
Lionel Messi, to Scholes, has absolutely everything. He said:
“Messi [is the best] but Ronaldo is brilliant. Ronaldo is sensational at what he does, with pace and power. He scores, he takes free-kicks. But as an all-round footballer, Messi - wow, his passing - he has absolutely everything.”
#4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Swedish legend
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi both played for Barcelona a decade ago. Although the Swede's time at Camp Nou didn't end too well, he has only reserved praise for Messi.
The AC Milan star doesn't think another player will replicate Messi's successes on the pitch. He said:
“I think Messi is one of a kind. What he's doing, I don't know if we will see another player do the things that he does. It is different [with Ronaldo] because he is the result of hard training. It is not natural.”
#3 Jurgen Klopp | Liverpool manager
Liverpool have had to face Real Madrid and Barcelona over the last few years in the Champions League. Ronaldo's Los Blancos stunned the Reds to a defeat and picked up the coveted continental trophy in the 2018 final. But Jurgen Klopp has picked Lionel Messi as his greatest ever player.
Liverpool notably produced an astonishing comeback to kick Barcelona and Messi out of the Champions League in 2019. But that hasn't stopped Klopp from showering the diminutive magician with praise. He said:
"For me it's Messi, but I couldn't admire Ronaldo any more than I already do. We've played against both and both are impossible to defend, but Messi had much lower physical conditions from birth on."
Klopp added:
"If you could build a perfect player then he'd have Ronaldo's height, he could jump and run like Ronaldo. On the other side you've got little Messi who makes everything look so simple. So, I like him maybe a little bit more as a player on the pitch."
#2 Thierry Henry | Arsenal legend
The former Arsenal man made the move to Barcelona to win the Champions League trophy, which he did. On his Barca team, and the major reason for their continental victory, was Lionel Messi. Thierry Henry has never played with Cristiano Ronaldo, so his response might be biased. But the star made it clear that those shared memories at Camp Nou add up. He mentioned:
"I don’t think we fully realise just what these guys are achieving. So, while huge respect goes to Ronaldo, having played with Messi and shared extraordinary moments with him, both in victory and defeat, it has to be Leo."
#1 Diego Maradona | Argentina legend
The late legend enjoyed a scintillating career of his own before Lionel Messi came on the scene. People once compared Diego Maradona to Pele, both of whom were two of the best players ever. However, Messi and Ronaldo blew the duo out of the water.
For Maradona, football history will remember Lionel Messi. He once said:
“I can't remember having seen Lionel Messi play badly. I prefer Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo but I acknowledge that the latter is an animal. Football history will remember Messi. Football has given him a lot, as much as he has given the sport and to win a World Cup, in my opinion, wouldn't bring himself anything else.”
