“He is an absolute god in football” – Cristiano Ronaldo’s former team-mate heaps praise on Lionel Messi
Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has given his opinion on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Spurs take on Manchester United in a crucial Premier League game for both sides this weekend. Romero, having been a teammate of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, was asked his opinion on the duo.
Romero was asked how it felt to share the pitch with Lionel Messi. The defender was part of Argentina's Copa America winning squad earlier this summer. He said:
"Messi is not just a great player, he is an absolute god in football. And I think it’s not just me saying that. Anyone who knows football, who knows Messi, will say the same thing. To have the opportunity to play with him is amazing, but also to share a dressing room with him is just incredible. We all know what a great guy he is as a footballer, of course. But as a person, he is someone I admire so much."
Prior to joining Tottenham, Romero was on-loan to Serie A side Atalanta from Juventus. The Argentine did, however, train with the Bianconeri before being sent out on loan.
After being teammates with Lionel Messi, Romero is now excited to face Cristiano Ronaldo this weekend
The defender was asked about his time at Juventus and how he grew as a player while at the club. He explained:
"I had the opportunity to come across such great champions like Bonucci and Chiellini. A real point of reference for a centre-back like myself, in particular Chiellini was someone I spoke with a lot and I’ve always admired him as being one of the best defenders in the world and having been so for such a long time."
Romero had the chance to train with Cristiano Ronaldo while at Juventus. The centre-back was asked how he plans to stop the forward ahead of Tottenham's clash against Manchester United this weekend. He said:
"He is one of the best players in the world and it’s great to have that opportunity to play against players like that. I also had the chance to play alongside him in training at Juve and speak with him. He’s a great guy as well and just someone I admire so much as a footballer. I’m someone who always wants to play against the best teams with the best players. To come up against the best is what we’re here for. I just hope on the weekend everything goes well for us."