Gonzalo Higuain reveals his secret of playing well with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuain has revealed that he struck a good chord with both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the pitch because he understood the duo well.
Higuain played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo while the two were together at Real Madrid and Juventus, and shared a dressing room with Lionel Messi for Argentina.
The Argentine is one of only a few players to have played with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The 33-year old has said it was up to him to ensure he was on the same wavelength as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and that the duo could count on him.
"To understand Cristiano and Messi... it's not their problem, it's up to you. If I played the most with them, it's because I understand them both perfectly. I knew what they liked, what they didn't like, how they felt most comfortable and most uncomfortable,” Higuain told La Nacion.
"I think that what they liked about me was that I... how can I say it without sounding boastful... that I didn't try to fight for 100 per cent of the play with them. So they felt they could also depend on me.
"When they have a player on their side who depends on them 100%, they don't feel they are free of all responsibility. But with me, I think they felt they could count on me. They are two totally different players and I had the privilege of enjoying and learning from both."
Higuain played with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo more than anyone else
Higuain is joined by only 12 other players to have played with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but he has managed more minutes on the pitch with the duo than anyone else.
The Argentine formed a solid partnership with Ronaldo at Real Madrid and once again united with the Portuguese star at Juventus, although the latter was a briefer spell.
His partnership with Lionel Messi nearly won Argentina the World Cup in 2014, as La Albiceleste reached the final before losing to Germany in extra time.