Raul:
“The other day I saw one of his games. He was running with the ball at a hundred per cent full speed, I don’t know how many touches he took, maybe five or six, but the ball was glued to his foot. It’s practically impossible!”
Gago:
“For me, the best in the world is Messi because of the way he plays, moves with the ball and changes matches, Messi has incredible ability and I love the way that he plays. I always thank God that he is an Argentine, not just as a player, but as a person too.”
José Aurelio Gay [Real Zaragoza Valventaja]
“Tonight, I saw Diego Maradona, but at more revs per minute. There are no words left to describe him – he is interplanetary. We could have beaten Barcelona but we could never have beaten Leo Messi. If we had scored four, he would have scored 12.”
Ander Herrera [Real Zaragozan pelaaja]
“I’m not sure he’s human.”
Xavi
“It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind.”
Carlos Tévez
“His speed is astonishing. It’s amazing how he can go 1 to 100 in just one second. I’m constantly around great players like Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Wayne] Rooney, but this guy is just a step up above every other great footballer out there at the moment. Not only is he quick, determined, and extremely intelligent on the ball, but his movement off the ball is just as fantastic – unbelievable to sum it up in a word.”
Johan Cruyff
“He deserves ten out of ten for doing what he does. He is a sensation, but still he can improve. He must know when to move the ball on quickly and when to try the impossible mission. When he learns this, he won’t win a single Golden Ball, but an entire collection.”
Juan Sebastian Veron
“I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates. We must protect him. I’d personally put him in a drawer of my bedside table.”
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
“Nobody was so wonderful at 19 years, neither Pele nor Maradona.”
Thierry Henry
“I have the possibility to watch Messi in training each morning, and, because of what he demonstrates, he is the best player in the world. It is a pleasure to watch him and because of the way he plays he is an undisputed leader of the Barcelona team.”
Joan Laporta [Barcelona president]
“Messi, without doubt, is the leader of Barcelona. He is the best player in the world and the best in the history of football. Along with [Johan] Cruyff and [Diego] Maradona he is the best player we have seen at Barca.”
Marcello Lippi
“The best? Messi.”
Christian Gross [Stuttgart manager speaking after Barca's 4-1 Champions League win]
“I think he is certainly one of the best in the world and people are right to make comparisons with Diego Maradona. It’s amazing when you think he is still only 22-years-old. He’s just a fantastic player.”
Mikel Arteta
“It is as if someone commands him from the stands, like a video game. I have never seen a human run with the ball at that speed. I have not seen Maradona so I cannot compare, but Messi is simply unbeatable.”
Carles Puyol
“He is a spectacular player, there is nobody else like him. I should know because I have suffered so much in training. I think he is the best forward at the moment and I think he will be so for many more years. He has his feet on the ground.”
Ronaldinho
[On receiving the Ballon d’Or in 2006] “This award says I’m the best player in the world, but I’m not even the best player at Barcelona.”
“Leo Messi reminds me more of Maradona, both left-footed and short, Messi is the best player in the world, along with Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo. For us it is not a surprise. Since he began to come and train with us and we knew we would go down this path. Someday I will explain that I was at the birth of one of the footballing greats: Leo Messi.”
Pep Guardiola
“Put in the superlatives yourselves, I’m running out. It’s already been a while now that he has been outstanding. He’s more than decisive in every way. That he’s capable of doing everything that he does at his age is something impressive, that doesn’t make any sense.
“The best players are always in the thick of the action. (Michael) Jordan did it with the Bulls, (Kobe) Bryant does it with the Lakers and Leo does it here. We want him to stay with us because he’s the best and we wouldn’t swap him for anyone.”
Diego Maradona
“I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Lionel Messi. Messi is a genius and he can become an even better player. His potential is limitless and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player.”
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