“I’ve seen him do things that make you laugh” - Argentina star likens Lionel Messi to Michael Jordan
Argentina defender German Pezzella has likened his national team colleague Lionel Messi to basketball legend Michael Jordan.
The Barcelona legend is widely considered among the best to play the sport. So far, he's won eight Ballon d'Or awards, three more than his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking about Messi, Pezzella told Clank Media (via @AlbicelesteTalk):
"Messi is like Michael Jordan. Let's not compare personalities, but in terms of sport, what they generate, what they provoke... They are there, along with Diego, the three of them, on an unreachable level."
"In training I've seen him do things that sometimes even make you laugh. There are moments when we're playing a small-sided game and maybe his team is one goal down, and it's as if he says, 'okay that's it.' He makes, one, two, three plays, solves the game, and that's it. What can you do? if you have him as a teammate, you're celebrating before he even gets the ball," he added.
The central defender and Messi have represented Argentina on 30 occasions while playing beside one another but are yet to bag a joint goal contribution. Messi is currently preparing to lead his team into the summer's Copa America.
He led La Albiceleste to World Cup success in Qatar in 2022 by bagging seven goals and three assists. The Inter Miami superstar was also awarded the Golden Ball, which is given to the tournament's best player.
Sergio Romero says his ex-Argentina teammate could have become like Lionel Messi
Former Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero believes Sergio Aguero could have become like Lionel Messi. Despiting lavishing praise on the former Manchester City striker's ability, Romero believes Aguero lacked the hunger.
Together, Romero and Aguero played 71 matches for Argentina. Romero told Bolavip about the former Premier League striker in an exclusive interview:
"It could have been Messi, then Aguero. The only thing he lacked was wanting it. If Kun mean to said 'I'm going to compete against Leo Messi'... Then if he had the conditions to be like Messi or win a Ballon d'Or is something else. But it would have been Messi-Aguero."
Unfortunately, Aguero never hit the heights of Messi, making 101 appearances for his country, bagging 41 goals and 19 assists. He was a part of Argentina's Copa America winning side in 2021.