“They would destroy teams”: Ex-Chelsea star on facing Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi; picks surprise player as opponent he dreaded facing
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic recently spoke about his experience of facing football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at their peaks. He picked another striker he dreaded facing.
Ronaldo and Messi are two of the best attackers the world has ever seen. The duo has a combined 1,494 club goals between them, winning a combined 13 Ballons d'Or over the last two decades.
However, for Begovic, who has spent much of his career in the Premier League, the player he dreaded facing the most in his career was neither of the legendary duo. He revealed to TalkSPORT that going up against Andy Carroll was a big challenge.
"Fernando Torres, Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez, those sorts of players that can do everything. But actually from a physical point of view, the likes of Andy Carroll. When a high ball comes and you're challenging with them, no matter if you've got your hands there, they are such big guys. A great spring, they were always very difficult and very much a handful. Not just for myself, but also for the defenders," Asmir Begovic said.
The goalkeeper revealed that he enjoyed facing Ronaldo and Messi in their primes, saying:
"Those were great memories, tough, tough challenges for sure. I played against Messi once in the [2014] World Cup against Argentina [2-1 defeat] which was an incredible experience. And then Ronaldo at the absolute peak of his powers [Euro 2012 play-offs]."
"They were in the prime of their careers and were unstoppable, there were moments where if they really wanted to, they would destroy teams. And they would obviously make it very difficult for a goalkeeper, so I enjoyed those battles and it was one of the biggest challenges," he added.
The legendary duo, who once took La Liga and all of Europe by storm, are now in the waning eras of their career. Cristiano Ronaldo plays in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, while Lionel Messi plies his trade in the MLS with Inter Miami.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are edging towards retirement
For many who fell in love with the beautiful game because of the legendary duo, it will be heartwrenching when they eventually call it a day and hang up their boots. They may still be going strong, with both legends giving all they have during international duty this summer, but signs of aging have shown.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, an impressive 35 goals in the Saudi Pro League in the 2023-24 season might give the impression that the Portuguese maestro is still in tip-top shape. However, for the first time in the Euros (his sixth appearance), the 39-year-old failed to find the net. He might still play in the 2026 World Cup but announced that the Euro 2024 was his last.
For Lionel Messi, life in the MLS has never been better. He has already led Inter Miami to Leagues Cup glory while reaching the final of the US Open Cup. However, he struggled for Argentina at the 2024 Copa America. They won the trophy but he concluded the tournament with just one goal.