Messi in quotes: A world 11 have their say on the six-time Ballon d'Or winner

3 December 2019

Lionel Messi has achieved a record sixth Ballon d'Or. Here, we look at what some of football's other greats have had to say about him through the years - in the 4-3-3 formation in which Messi has typically excelled, naturally...

GOALKEEPER

Former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said: I think it's unlikely that any human being again will repeat the numbers that Messi is getting

DEFENDERS

Spain defender Juan Bernat said: Messi is the best player in the world. We'd have to kidnap him to stop him.

Germany defender Jerome Boateng said: Defending Messi one on one is not possible.

Legendary Italy defender Paolo Maldini said: When I see Messi playing, I think he should win the Ballon d'Or every year.

Messi's Argentina team-mate Javier Mascherano said: Although he may not be human, it's good that Messi still thinks he is.

MIDFIELDERS

Three-time Ballon d'Or winner Johan Cruyff said: Messi will be the player to win the most Ballons d'Or in history. He will win five, six, seven. He is incomparable.

Former Barcelona winger Luis Figo said: For me, to watch Messi play is a pleasure - it's like having an orgasm.

Argentina great Diego Maradona said of Messi: His potential is limitless and I think he's got everything it takes to become Argentina's greatest player.

STRIKERS

Messi's former Barcelona team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic said: He plays like he's on PlayStation, it's unbelievable. People who say otherwise either don't know anything about football or are just talking nonsense.

Ronaldinho, the 2006 Ballon d'Or winner, said: This award says I'm the best player in the world, but I'm not even the best player at Barcelona.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney said: Messi is a joke. For me, the best ever.