"Those who like football, like Messi" - When Real Madrid icon made honest claim about Barcelona legend Lionel Messi
Former Real Madrid legend Casemiro once raved about his former El Clasico rival, Lionel Messi. The Brazilian midfielder was part of a Los Blancos side that played against Barcelona every season when the Argentine was at the peak of his career.
Lionel Messi is considered one of the best players to have ever played the game. The Barcelona legend's repertoire of accolades consists of eight Ballons d'Or, six European Golden Boots, three UEFA Best Player in Europe titles, one World Cup, two Copa Americas, and many more.
The Argentine maestro spent most of his career with the Catalan giants, leaving the club with a record 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games. During his time in Barca, Messi faced Casemiro 15 times, winning four while losing seven. Four games ended in a stalemate.
Talking about Lionel Messi in an interview with Brazilian sports magazine Placar, the Brazilian raved about La Pulga, commenting that anyone who likes football is bound to love the former Barcelona superstar.
“Lionel Messi left his mark. You can’t deny it. He was always a rival, with Barcelona and with Argentina, there was no way to escape it. But those who like football, like Messi. It was a pleasure playing against him. He is a guy who does not need comment. You just have to admire him,” he said.
Casemiro went on to proclaim Lionel Messi, his compatriot Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo as three of the best players of his generation.
"I had the pleasure of seeing Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, who are the three greatest of my generation. I saw [the Brazilian] Ronaldo, I saw Zinedine Zidane but, without a doubt, these three are the best of my time. I never played against Cristiano, thank God! He gave me many titles and victories," concluded the Brazilian.
After leaving Europe in 2023, Messi is currently playing in the United States with MLS outfit Inter Miami. He shares the pitch with his former Barca teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets.
Barcelona legend Gerard Pique claimed in 2016 that Lionel Messi should've won the Ballon d'Or every year since 2009
Former Barcelona stalwart Gerard Pique once asserted that Lionel Messi deserved to win the coveted Ballon d'Or every year since 2009. The two shared the pitch a whopping 506 times across 13 seasons, sharing 17 joint goal participations.
The Argentine superstar already has eight Ballons d'Or - the most won by an individual player in the history of the game. Messi won his first Ballon d'Or in 2009, eventually winning four on the trot until 2012.
Messi's latest Ballon d'Or win came in 2023 for his phenomenal performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he captained La Albiceleste to glory.
In a 2016 post on X, Gerard Pique claimed that Messi deserved all the Ballons d'Or since 2009. He wrote:
"If the Ballon d'Or were given to the best player in the world, Leo would have won it every year since 2009. Another level." (Translated from Spanish by Google)
However, Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the award that year, amassing 745 votes. Messi, meanwhile, came second with 316. It also marked the highest win margin in the history of the award, i.e., 429 votes.