Brazilian defender Marquinhos has crowned Argentine superstar Lionel Messi as “the best player in the world”. After playing against Messi in the 2018 World Cup qualifier between Argentina and Brazil on Friday, the young defender claimed that they worked together in order to stop him.
The scoreline, however, tells a different story as goals from Philippe Coutinho, Neymar and Paulinho ensured a 3-0 victory for Brazil. A concentrated operation by the Brazilians in defence helped their cause as they nullified the threat of Messi and Angel Di Maria in Belo Horizonte.
In an interview with French news outlet L’Equipe, Marquinhos spoke about how the effort was a “collective” one by everyone on the pitch. Sometimes, Messi was under “double, and even triple pressure.”
Also read: 5 reasons Lionel Messi should win the Ballon d'Or
He said, "For me, [Messi] is the best player in the world."
The 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender added, "He is an extraordinary dribbler of the ball and he is so fast too. A single player is not enough to stop him."
Under Tite, Marquinhos has won his place in the starting line-up and will now face PSG and Brazil teammate Thiago Silva in a fight for the spot. However, the youngster has claimed that he admires Silva and is his friend but the competition is strong.
"Thiago Silva? He has worked hard to return, as it was his objective to get back to the international setup," Marquinhos said. "Does it put Miranda under pressure? This is normal. Competition is strong here and it does everyone good. Every single player is working hard to be on the pitch."
Earlier, the young defender had stated how Tite has been the main reason behind the transformation of the Selecao. This confidence was reflected in the match as Marquinhos successfully dealt with the Argentine forward line.
Also read: Transfer rumor: Barcelona to bid €60 million for PSG’s Marquinhos
Many have hailed the Barcelona star as the best player in the world in the past and Marquinhos is just the latest addition to the list of Messi admirers. Barcelona are currently placed 2nd in La Liga behind rivals, Real Madrid.
It is expected that Marquinhos will soon sign a contract extension but Silva is the one who would be tied down first. Edinson Cavani is all set to receive a contract extension at Parc des Princes after an impressive start to the season.
PSG are positioned third in the Ligue 1 table languishing three points behind the table toppers Nice. They have a couple of difficult fixtures ahead including a visit to Arsenal for a Champions League match.
