'I was always lucky enough to have other players around me', says Ashley Cole about facing Ronaldo and Messi
What's the story?
Former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has claimed that he would not win one-on-one situations against Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the field. He was lucky that he always had players around him to help him.
In case you didn't know...
Cole has established himself as a legend in England. During his career, he has encountered the five-time Ballon d'Or winners.
The defender's rivalry with Ronaldo during the latter's stint at Manchester United, served to be one of the most entertaining things to watch. He also boasts of having faced Messi in 2006, 2009 and 2012 without losing a single game.
Cole had the privilege of playing alongside defending legends like John Terry and Sol Campbell during his time with Chelsea and Arsenal, and their influence rubbed off on him quite well.
The three-time Premier League winner remains one of the best left-backs to have been produced by England, with many critics deeming him to be one of the best defenders of his generation.
The heart of the matter
Speaking in an interview with The Telegraph, Cole stated that if it was not for the presence of incredible players like Terry and Campbell beside him, he would not have been able to stifle Ronaldo and Messi during his career.
He said,
"They were great battles. Looking back on those days it was always Ashley v Ronaldo, but I was always lucky enough to have other players around me."
"If it was just me against Ronaldo, he'd kill me. If it was me versus Messi, he'd kill me."
"I had other players to help me. If Messi was running at me I knew I could show him inside because I had John Terry there."
"At the time with Ronaldo, I had Sol Campbell or Kolo Toure there. It wasn't just about me."
What's next?
While both Messi and Ronaldo have helped their respective sides to a domestic lesgue title this season, they have failed to secure European glory after succumbing to shock defeats in the Champions League.
Barcelona are set to add one more trophy to their cabinet when they face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final. Meanwhile, Juventus are currently seeing out the remaining games of the season.