Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr and more: Former Real Madrid star Isco picks his 5 toughest opponents

Former Real Madrid midfielder Isco has picked his five toughest opponents, which include former Barcelona stars Lionel Messi and Neymar. The 32-year-old spent nine seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Between 2013 and 2022, the Spaniard contributed 53 goals and 57 assists in 353 games across competitions. During this period, Isco had several meetings with the aforementioned Barca duo, especially Messi.

Now playing for Real Betis, Isco had an interaction with ESPN UK, where he named his five toughest opponents. It went as follows:

"Messi, it comes to me without thinking. Griezmann also. Neymar, Rudiger also, he pinches a lot. Luis Suarez also. He's one of them."

Among the five players Isco mentioned - Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Neymar, Antonio Rudiger and Luis Suarez - all of them except Rudiger turned out for Barca. The German - who is now at Los Blancos - arrived after Isco had left.

While Messi left the Camp Nou in the summer of 2021, Neymar had left four summers earlier, while Suarez did so in 2020. Griezmann, meanwhile, spent two seasons on loan at the Camp Nou and is now back at his parent club Atletico Madrid.

How did Lionel Messi fare against Real Madrid?

Widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the beautiful game, Lionel Messi spent 17 hugely successful seasons at Barcelona, where he had many meetings with Real Madrid.

In 47 games across Los Blancos - with all but two of them coming while he was with the Blaugrana - Messi recorded 26 goals and 14 assists. He won 20 times and lost on 16 occasions.

However, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner went scoreless against Real Madrid since the 2017-18 season. Messi - currently with MLS side Inter Miami - drew blanks in two games against Madrid while was he at PSG.

La Pulga notably missed a penalty as the Parisians crashed out in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 following a 3-2 aggregate defeat.