“There is none like him” – When Ander Herrera picked player ‘touched by God’s wand’ while choosing between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

In a 2019 interview, former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera rated Lionel Messi as the best player ever to grace the sport.

The battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi has defined an era in football. No longer deemed just as players, both legends have redefined the art of regularly finding the back of the net over the years.

While opinions continue to fly on who the better player is, Herrera's comments from three years back come to mind on the matter.

Back in March 2019, when the player represented Manchester United, Herrera and his team were set to face Messi's Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Asked about Messi's greatness, Herrera rated the Argentine forward as the best player ever. The Spaniard told El Periodico (reported via Times Now):

“The team (Barcelona) has the best player (Messi) in history. For me, the most decisive I have ever seen in my life, and I have played and faced the best, but there is none like him.”

This does not mean that Herrera did not value Ronaldo's greatness. Back in 2018, he explained why he considered Ronaldo to be an icon as well, but considered Messi to be a gift from God.

He had said:

"I absolutely adore Cristiano Ronaldo for what he has done, the effort he has shown, and his personality and behavior at times. He's a role model for children, but Messi was touched by God's wand."

While Ronaldo is back at Manchester United, Messi is now teammates with Herrera at Paris Saint-Germain.

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The 2022 FIFA World Cup could be Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's last hurrah

Like all great things, this too must come to an end. The rivalry, which has spanned over a decade, no longer makes headlines as consistently as it once did.

On the wrong side of the 30s, both superstars are still brilliant players in their own right, but it's safe to say that the duo are in the twilight of their illustrious careers.

Messi and Ronaldo have won everything there is to win in football, except the World Cup. The showpiece event in Qatar later this year might be their last big chance to leave yet another memorable footprint in the sport.