“You may not agree” – Christian Vieri makes interesting claim as he chooses between Lionel Messi, Ronaldo and Maradona while naming greatest ever striker
Inter Milan legend Christian Vieri has ranked his three greatest strikers between Lionel Messi, Ronaldo and Maradona, as per Corriere dello Sport.
The legendary Italian striker had a hugely successful career, scoring 236 goals in 475 appearances.
He played for the likes Inter, AC Milan and Juventus during his career and came up against some of the greatest strikers to ever grace the pitch.
He played alongside 'R9' for Inter.
He has chosen the Brazilian icon instead of current Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo in his top three strikers of all time.
The former Real Madrid striker is usually touted as one of the greatest but he does not make Vieiri's list.
Meanwhile, 'Bobo' has also chosen the Red Devils star's longtime rival Lionel Messi, who sits atop the Ballon d'Or rankings with seven to his name.
Argentinian hero Diego Maradona completes the list, with Vieri saying:
"I put Messi in front of Maradona and Ronaldo, the Ronaldo of Inter. You may not agree.”
Messi has carved out a career like no other with mesmerizing moments and legendary achievements.
He has scored an astounding 687 goals and contributed 320 assists in 816 appearances.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward has won four Champions League titles among a number of other trophies.
Meanwhile, 'R9' is what many associate 'Ginga' football with and he had one of the most iconic FIFA World Cup tournaments in 2002.
He finished the tournament's top scorer with 8 goals as Brazil won the competition in Japan/South Korea.
Maradona's name will go down in history as one of the most polarizing players to ever play the game.
A World Cup winner, an Italian league winner and a Spanish league winner, 'El Pelusa' captivated fans with extraordinary performances.
He managed 159 goals in 343 appearances during his storied career.
Vieri on why he prefers Ronaldo Nazário to the Manchester United superstar and his thoughts on Messi
Vieri compared the two 'Ronnie's' back in 2020, telling Daily Mail:
"I say that Brazilian Ronaldo is better than Cristiano. CR7 is a war machine, he is admirable for everything he does and for all the things he continues to do. Cristiano can play up to 40 years with a cigarette between his lips, as they say in Italy. He has a sculptural physique."
Messi's wizardry has certainly impressed Vieiri as he compares the Argentine to the famous half-blood prince, (via Goal):
"Messi is a magician, he's the Harry Potter of soccer and when he stops playing, I'm throwing my TVs away. I'm not going to work no more on TV, I'm going to watch Netflix, that's it, because when he stops there's nothing else to watch."
Christian Vieri: "Messi's a magician. Harry Potter of soccer. When he stops playing I'm throwing my TVs away. I'm not going to work anymore on TV. I'm going to watch Netflix because when he stops there's nothing else to watch."
Messi is 35 today. Happy birthday to the GOAT 🐐❤️ https://t.co/pWtLClbQrR