Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi name the toughest defenders they have ever faced

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are arguably the best players in the history of the beautiful game. A shudder passes through the spine of every defender when the two modern-day legends take to the pitch for their respective sides.

Over the years, defenders across the world have found a few specific strategies that mitigate the damage caused by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to a certain extent.

While some teams have been successful in stopping the two behemoths, many others have buckled under the sheer magnitude of the skill that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo bring to the table.

Lionel Messi joins Cristiano Ronaldo as the only active players to reach 700 goals.GOAT era. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/17r29yT6cl

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 30, 2020

Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo seem to find a way to unlock the opposition's defence and find the back of the net with astonishing regularity. A select few defenders, however, have managed to put a stop to their magical machinations.

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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo name the best defenders they have ever faced

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo often share the stage at award ceremonies

Lionel Messi surprisingly named Girona defender Pablo Maffeo as the most difficult challenge he has ever faced. The Argentine defender hounded Lionel Messi and deprived his compatriot of the ball on several occasions.

Lionel Messi lavished praise on the full-back for his efforts and claimed that he felt suffocated while playing against Maffeo. The former Manchester City defender succeeded in keeping Lionel Messi quiet throughout the match and ensured that the Argentine talisman was unable to get on the scoresheet.

"Pablo Maffeo of Girona was the toughest. That was intense! I've never been one who complains. I think physical contact and kicks are part of the game."

Say hello to Pablo Maffeo - the boy who stopped Lionel Messi https://t.co/Y7te5NfkrV pic.twitter.com/YNDvSA70oY

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) September 25, 2017

Pablo Maffeo man-marked Lionel Messi and followed the Argentine everywhere on the pitch. Lionel Messi revealed that while man-marking does not particularly affect him, Maffeo's tenacity and desire was difficult to deal with.

"Man-marking doesn't bother me. You know that there will be tough matches and it can be strange to always have someone around you. In truth, it hasn't happened to me that often. It doesn't bother me, but it is strange."

Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, selected a much bigger name when he was asked the same question. The Portuguese forward named Ashley Cole as the most difficult defender he has ever had to face.

Ashley Cole and Cristiano Ronaldo faced each other on a regular basis when Cristiano Ronaldo was at Manchester United. The two had some fascinating duels and while Cristiano Ronaldo often got the better of his opponent, Ashley Cole gave as good as he got.

Cristiano Ronaldo often went head-to-head with Ashley Cole

"Over the years I had some great battles with Ashley Cole, he does not give you a second to breathe. He was such a tenacious player when he was at his peak, quick, tough in the tackle. You knew it would never be an easy game."

Cristiano Ronaldo praised Ashley Cole for his tenacity and claimed that the English full-back was one of the most complete defenders in the modern era. Lionel Messi has also faced Ashley Cole a few times and has experienced mixed results.

Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have had stellar careers and have managed to get the better of some excellent defenders. The legendary duo continues to dominate world football to this day and the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go down as the most exciting in the history of the game.

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Also check out: Ronaldo vs Messi complete stats