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Former Columbus Crew attacker Cucho Hernandez has hailed Argentina superstar Lionel Messi as the best player in Major League Soccer's (MLS) history. During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, the Colombian forward talked about his decision to join Columbus Crew and later facing Messi in the league.
He revealed that the MLS side convinced him to play in the United States. Hernandez said:
"Columbus came with a personal proposal and a football proposal, that convinced me that I had to take that step. I took it as a new adventure, like let's test, let's give it a try. But from the beginning, my idea was to come back to Europe, so I got it and I am very happy to have been able to live the MLS experience."
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Hernandez then lauded Lionel Messi and his impact on American top-tier football. Messi joined Inter Miami from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a free transfer in July 2023.
The former Barcelona star has guided the Herons to two titles, the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters' Shield in 2024. Talking about Messi's arrival in the United States, the Real Betis attacker said:
"The media impact was incredible. That was even good for us because the number of MLS fans increased a lot. It was a pleasure to be able to have, in my opinion, the best football player in history in the MLS."
The two faced each other four times, with Miami winning twice, Columbus once, and one match ending in a draw. Hernandez joined Real Betis from Columbus Crew in February earlier this season.
Meanwhile, the Herons are third in the MLS with 13 points after eight games. Messi has scored three goals and provided two assists in six appearances in the MLS this season.
When Marco van Basten was asked to pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Dutch football legend Marco van Basten was asked in June 2022 to share his opinion on the GOAT (Greatest of all time) debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The two football stars have dominated the sport for nearly two decades, winning several team and personal accolades.
Sharing his views on the debate, the three-time Ballon d'Or champion backed Messi over the former Real Madrid superstar. He told Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via BOLAVIP):
"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 and 100 years. As a child, he fell into the football genius pot."
Lionel Messi guided Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and currently plays for Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
