Lionel Messi: Neymar and Suarez best attacking players I've ever played with
Lionel Messi is currently the best player in the world, and he likes playing in attacking trios. He said that Neymar and Luis Suarez are the best forwards he has played with.
As Barcelona stand on the verge of claiming a treble, he said that this current attacking trio is the best he has been part of, and that both Neymar and Suarez are the best attacking players he has been in the same team with.
In an interview with Squawka, he said, "I’m lucky. I’ve played with so many wonderful forwards over the years. I had a great connection with Ronaldinho. I played with Samuel Eto’o, with Thierry Henry, with Pedro, David Villa, Alexis [Sanchez]. But I have to say that it is hard to top lining up alongside Neymar and Suarez.”
"They are two players at the top of their games. We have only been together as a three for one season, so there is still work to do on the partnership, and we can all improve together – but we all see it as teamwork.
"I’ve said before that with Neymar’s quality, touch and fitness, he can become the best in the world – and Luis is the same. His touch, vision, his movement, his instinctive play, are incredible. We all offer something different and make each other better."
“Could become a midfield playmaker in future”
The Argentine captain, who is still only 27, also said that he could play as a deep-lying forward or midfield playmaker in the future, depending on if his superb pace and acceleration desert him.
"It’s possible. A lot of players drop deeper when they move into the later stages of their career, and that’s certainly an option for me, to become an out-and-out midfielder. I have played in midfield a lot already, and I cover a lot of ground there. I am happy to play as a forward, as a deep forward, in the middle – I just hope that I can keep going.”
"There are many players who have prolonged their careers by playing in a different place, where maybe you don’t rely on being so explosive all the time, on your speed."
“Losing the World Cup was a big blow”
He also reflected on his disappointing 2014, his patchy form for Barcelona and losing to Germany in the finals of the World Cup in Brazil.
The little Argentinean said, "Losing the World Cup final was a big, big blow. I wanted to win it for Argentines everywhere, for my country, and I was very upset afterwards. But being a professional means moving on from low moments quickly.”
"If you’re on the pitch and you miss a chance, you can’t dwell on it – you need to think you are going to score the next one. So yes, losing the World Cup spurs you on to do better, and you want to use the anger and disappointment as motivation.”