“He didn’t make me sleep at night” - Juventus legend Leonardo Bonucci snubs Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as he picks the toughest-ever opponent
Juventus icon Leonardo Bonucci has picked Colombian forward Duvan Zapata ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo while naming the toughest opponent of his career. The Italian announced his retirement from professional football in 2024 after spending the final six months of his career at Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are widely considered two of the greatest players to have ever played the game. Between them, the two share over 1700 goals (combined) and had established an uncontested duopoly over world football during their primes. Messi and Ronaldo have won a total of 13 Ballons d'Or between them.
Despite Bonucci lavishing praise on the two many times in the past, he chose ex-Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata as the toughest opponent he's ever faced. Speaking on Sky Calcio Club, the Italian said:
"My nightmare, who didn’t make me sleep at night, was Zapata. God, before games against his Atalanta side, I couldn’t sleep at night. His power and physicality made him my nightmare. Then I was lucky enough to play against so many champions. [Didier] Drogba, Ronaldo, Messi, [Fernando] Torres, and I forget others, but it was too good."
Zapata spent most of his career in Serie A side Atalanta, where he played 191 games across competitions, registering 82 goals and 43 assists. He also spent time in Seria A sides Napoli and Sampdoria (currently in Serie B).
At present, Zapata piles his trade for Torino, where he has already scored four goals in nine games this season across competitions.
Bonucci and Zapata have faced each other in 14 games, with the former's side winning on six occasions. Zapata won three games while five of them ended in a stalemate.
Leonardo Bonucci's compatriot Gennaro Gattuso snubs Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as he picks star he would have loved to play with
Legendary Italian defender Gennaro Gattuso once picked Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric as the player he would've loved the play with while acknowledging the greatness of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Gattuso told UEFA's YouTube channel (via All Football) in October 2018 why he would've liked to play with Modric. He said:
“Everyone says Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi but I’d have loved to play with Luka Modric. I think he’s an incredible player, really strong mentally and a pure footballer."
The other two players he raved about were Frenchmen Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi. Gattuso said:
“From the current era, I’d like to come up against Paul Pogba. Another player I like is Matuidi. It seems like he never stops running, he’s all over you.
Gattuso is currently the manager of HNK Hajduk Split, assuming this post in July 2024.