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#5 Gary Lineker
Lionel Messi is one of the first names that many former Barcelona players associate with the club, and one such former Blaugrana star who never shies away from showering praise on the Argentine phenomenon is Gary Lineker. Though Lineker is a football pundit now, his bias towards Messi is quite clear.
“I think he’s the best player who’s ever donned a pair of football boots. I’m still bewildered by so many of the things he does. It’s almost like he watches the game of football from above while playing it at the same time, and that is staggering.
"People look at goalscoring records and, yes, he scores about a goal per game. But he’s also the best dribbler I’ve ever seen, the most imaginative footballer I’ve ever seen, one of the best passers the game’s ever seen. If you put all those things together you have someone who, frankly, is not a human being.”
#4 Ronaldinho
Before Lionel Messi, it was Brazilian legend Ronaldinho who was rocking the No. 10 jersey at the Camp Nou. The forward, alongside his teammates, heralded a new era of exciting football to the club with his otherworldly skills, elasticos, and pinpoint free-kicks.
Despite being considered as one of the greatest of all time, he conceded that a young Lionel Messi was already better than him during his time with the Argentine at the Camp Nou.
“Messi is the greatest in history, without doubt. Nobody has done what Messi has done. When he retires, nobody will be worthy of using the No10 shirt.”
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo
We have been lucky to witness two of the greatest footballers of all time in Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo plying their trade at the same time. The duo have pushed each other to the limit, and as a result, they have achieved uncountable milestones for the last decade and a half.
Receiving praise from your rival is the ultimate sign of respect, and over the years, Ronaldo has appreciated Messi's genius on many occasions. The Portuguese has often credited his left-footed foe for keeping him on his toes.
“I have no doubt that Messi has made me a better player and vice-versa. I have an excellent professional relationship [with him] because we have been sharing the same moments for 15 years. We've never had dinner together but I don't see why we can't in the future. I don't see a problem with that.”
#2 Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho is one of the most successful managers of our generation, and has coached players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Didier Drogba till date.
So he knows what separates a superstar from their peers. He is known to make bold statements, one of which was calling himself the 'Special One'.
At one point in time, he called Messi the God of football, which is probably the greatest compliment one can give to a football player. Mourinho always remains wary of the six-time Ballon d'Or winner whenever he faces him on the pitch.
"When Messi has the ball one on one, you are dead. That’s why I never I like the individual man to man against Messi."
“Messi is a god, you have to create a cage".
#1 Johan Cruyff
Among all the icons in football, Johan Cruyff holds a special position because of his unparalleled reading of the game. The Dutch legend revolutionised the way football was played, first with his intelligence as a player and then as the manager of Barcelona. He led them to European glory and built the foundations of the famed La Masia academy.
When talking about one of the greatest players to have evolved out of the academy - Lionel Messi - back in 2012, Cruyff prophesied that he will be the player with the most Ballon d'Ors in history and deemed his talents incomparable.
Messi would go on to break the record for the most Ballon d'Or wins, and now has six of those coveted trophies at his home.
"For the world of football, Messi is a treasure because he is a role model for children around the world… Messi will be the player to win the most Ballons d’Or in history. He will win five, six, seven. He is incomparable. He’s in a different league."
Also Read: Top 10 football players with the most fans in the world
