Lionel Messi news: 'Messi is No.1, no one compares to him,' says Carles Alena as he picks Barcelona superstar in GOAT debate

What's the story?

Lionel Messi has been hailed as the best player in the world yet again, this time, by Carles Alena, a La Masia graduate himself.

Alena, who broke into the Barcelona first team this year, has made 10 appearances for the club in LaLiga this season.

In an interview with MARCA, he said that no other player can rival what Messi has achieved and currently there is no player that can match his level.

In case you didn't know...

Messi and Ronaldo started for the first time for their respective nations since their disappointments at the FIFA World Cup last summer, in the ongoing international break.

But, both of them were left frustrated on their much-anticipated returns, with a Messi-led Argentina losing 3-1 to Venezuela and Ronaldo's Portugal only managing a goalless draw with Ukraine.

As always, the duo has been hot on each other's trail this season, breaking each other's records like clockwork.

The Argentine is now 10 goals clear of the mercurial Portuguese and is the leading contender for the European Golden shoe this season with 29 goals.

The heart of the matter

The eternal debate, 'Messi v Ronaldo, who's the GOAT?', whether you like it or not, is here to stay.

Adding to hundreds of players who've already given their verdict on this burning issue, Alena made it clear that for him Messi, a fellow La Masia graduate, is the greatest of all time.

He said that he's run out of adjectives to describe the left-footed wizard's greatness. He told MARCA:

"My words have run out for Messi. He has left me without adjectives."

According to him, all of the 31-year-old's rivals are finished and now there's no one who can match him, subtly ruling Ronaldo out of contention for the title of the GOAT. He continued:

"He's No.1, there are no comparisons. They've all finished."

Finally, he ridiculed the Ballon d'Or rankings of last year, which placed the Barca No.10 on the fifth position. He concluded:

"There are no more Ballon d'Ors, nor is he the fifth best in the world. People think it's a joke but it's reality. He's the best and he has been for 12 years."

What's next?

Although the debate regarding the world's greatest player will rage on, one thing's for sure, we are lucky to be able to witness the exploits of the two extraordinary talents.

While Messi has his sights firmly set on a treble this season with Barcelona, Ronaldo and Juventus will be looking to spoil their party, at least in the Champions League.