"Everybody knows he is one of the greatest ever" - When former Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo picked Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in dream XI
In 2015, former Juventus midfielder and manager, Andrea Pirlo picked Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo for his dream XI. The World Cup-winning legend was highly impressed with the Argentine star and chose him to feature in his dream team alongside other greats of the game.
Pirlo was one of the finest players in his position and shared the pitch with other legends like Gennaro Gattuso, Gianluigi Buffon, Kaka, and Paolo Maldini. He represented Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus and lifted two UEFA Champions League titles and six Serie A titles during his playing career.
Speaking about his decision to pick the Argentine legend at the time, the classy Italian said (via the Sun):
"Has achieved so much, but still I am sure will achieve so much more. I don’t need to talk in detail about what he is capable of. Everybody knows he is one of the greatest ever already."
Lionel Messi featured in a dream lineup for Andrea Pirlo that had Buffon in goal, Philipp Lahm, Fabio Cannavaro, Paolo Maldini, and Cafu in defense, Xavi, Paul Scholes, Kaka, and Gennaro Gattuso in midfield alongside himself with Filippo Inzaghi leading the line with the Argentine.
Pirlo went on to manage Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus after Maurizio Sarri was sacked by the Turin-based giants. He coached the Portuguese superstar for 3754 minutes across 44 games that saw him score 36 times and assist six goals.
When former Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo refused to weigh in on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate
In 2020, former Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo refused to weigh in on the eternal debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Italian manager was facing Barcelona with his Turin-based outfit in the UEFA Champions League and responded to questions about the two.
Both players are widely believed to be two of the greatest players of all time and were still at the peak of their powers at the time of the interview. Speaking to the press ahead of the group stage clash between the two sides, Pirlo told the press when asked about the duo (via Goal):
"It would be wrong to say who is better between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They are two phenomenons that put on spectacles for millions of fans. We just have to thank them."
Andrea Pirlo led his Juventus side to a 3-0 win over Lionel Messi and Barcelona in that clash, with Ronaldo finding the back of the net twice. The Italian Manager is currently without a club after a 45-game stint with Sampdoria that saw him average 1.42 points per game.