Rejecting Messi as the GOAT, Ronaldinho directly names the 3 greatest players in history

Barcelona legend Ronaldinho openly stated that he does not consider Lionel Messi the greatest footballer of all time, despite the two being close teammates at Camp Nou.

Lionel Messi is widely celebrated by fans and experts as the greatest football player in modern history, especially after leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup and collecting nearly every prestigious title a player can achieve. Since debuting for the national team two decades ago, the small player from Barcelona’s La Masia academy has continuously written his own legendary story.

To date, Messi has scored over 850 goals for club and country, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo. He boasts an impressive trophy cabinet with 10 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League trophies, 2 Ligue 1 championships, 1 World Cup, 1 Copa America, and a record 8 Ballon d’Or awards.

However, the legendary Ronaldinho, who once played alongside Messi at Barcelona, does not regard his former teammate as the “GOAT” (greatest of all time). In an interview with Marca, the Brazilian star shared:

“I’m happy for Messi because he deserves the Ballon d’Or. We have been friends since our time at Barcelona. But I don’t like comparisons, and it’s hard to say he is the best in history.”

Ronaldinho believes each era has its own icons: “There were Maradona, Pelé, Ronaldo de Lima... It’s difficult to say who is the greatest. For me, Messi is the best player of his generation.”

Between 2004 and 2008, Ronaldinho and Messi shone together at Barcelona, forming one of Europe’s most memorable attacking duos. They helped the Catalan club win two La Liga titles (2004/05, 2005/06) and a Champions League trophy (2005/06).

After Ronaldinho left Camp Nou in 2008, Messi took over the responsibility of leading Barca’s attack, ushering in one of the most glorious eras in the club’s history.

Related article

Ronaldo beats Messi? Officially naming the greatest player in history The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) has officially announced the top 10 greatest footballers of all time. See more