Barcelona and Portugal star Joao Felix names 47-year-old legend as ‘best footballer’ ever
On-loan Barcelona attacker Joao Felix - who is set to appear for Portugal at Euro 2024 - has named Blaugrana legend Ronaldinho as the best player of all time, ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The now-retired 47-year-old Brazilian played at the Camp Nou between 2003 and 2008.
Felix, 24, is on a loan deal from Athletico Madrid, which expires at the end of the season. He had a decent - if not sparkling - season at the Camp Nou, bagging 10 goals and six assists in 44 games across competitions.
As per Mundo Deportivo, Felix reckons Ronaldinho is the "best footballer in history". The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner contributed 94 goals and 71 assists in 207 games across competitions. winning consecutive La Liga and one UEFA Champions League title.
He won the 2005 Ballon d'Or award, having also won consecutive Spanish Super Cup titles. Messi had Ronaldinho as a mentor when he made his Camp Nou debut in the early 2000s.
Ronaldinho would subsequently play for the likes of AC Milan, Flamengo and Club Atletico Mineiro before retiring with Fluminense in 2005. With Brazil, the Barcelona legend also won the Copa America in 1999 apart from the World Cup.
How has Barcelona on-loan star Joao Felix fared for Portugal?
Joao Felix is part of Portugal's 26-man squad for the upcoming European Championship in Germany. The 24-year-old has played 38 times across competitions for the Selecao, contributing seven goals and four assists.
Three of those goals and one assist came in eight games in Portugal's successful UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Two of those goals came in the 6-0 away win in Luxembourg, 9-0 home win over Luxembourg and a goal and an assist in a 5-0 away win in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This will be the on-loan Barcelona attacker's third major tournament, having previously appeared in Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where Felix bagged one goal and two assists in four games.
Roberto Martinez's side open their Euro 2024 campaign against the Czech Republic on June 18. Turkey and Georgia are the other teams in their group as the Selecao look to add to their Euro 2016 triumph.