Willian believes Ronaldinho is the greatest footballer of all time

Brazilian winger Willian has named compatriot Ronaldinho as the greatest footballer to have ever played the game.

Ronaldinho enjoyed a 17-year long career as a player, starting with Gremio in 1998 followed by stints at PSG, Barcelona, AC Milan, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro and Queretaro. He finally called it a day in 2015, with Flamengo.

Willian, who had already voiced his opinion on this topic before, reiterated his stance and named his compatriot ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Chelsea FC v Crystal Palace - Premier League

The Chelsea midfielder, speaking in an interview with Goal (via Diario AS) ahead of his nation's much anticipated clash against Argentina, said,

"Ronaldinho was the best of them all, better than Messi and Cristiano. They score goals but what Ronnie did was incredible. He was incredible on the field and he also scored.

Although I am a fan of his, he left too soon. If Ronaldinho had continued to play like this for a couple more years, he would have been the best in the world on three, four or five occasions."

In his prime, Ronaldinho was widely considered the best player in the world. The Brazilian won every major honour available to a footballer, including the World Cup, Champions League and the Ballon d'Or. However, he spent a very short time at the top of the pile.

In recent times Messi and Ronaldo have been ruling the football world with their extraordinary performances, often finding a place in 'greatest of all time' discussions. Their longevity is one of the reasons why many consider them to be among the top players in football history, which is something Ronaldinho lacked.

Lionel Messi (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo (R)

But Ronaldinho continues to have his own set of backers, who believe that the Brazilian's mesmerizing performances on the pitch can never be replicated.