When former Manchester United star snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo and picked Lionel Messi in dream 5-a-side team
Cristiano Ronaldo didn't find a place in the dream 5-a-side team of former player Henrik Larsson, who had picked Lionel Messi. The Sweden and Barcelona veteran revealed his dream team during a 2017 interview with GOAL. The 52-year-old played with both Ronaldo and Messi.
According to Larsson, his dream 5-a-side team would have the Barcelona veteran goalkeeper Victor Valdes in between the sticks, with Carles Puyol in defense. In the attack, he placed himself along with Messi and Ronaldinho.
"Goalkeeper, Victor Valdes. I need to be in my own team, so I will put myself in there. Then I'd put Ronaldinho, I'd put Messi and I'd put Puyol because we will need a defender," Larsson had said in 2017.
Henrik Larsson saw a young Lionel Messi rise in the ranks in La Masia during his stay at the Catalan club between 2004 and 2006. Thereafter, the Swede joined Manchester United on loan and made 13 appearances alongside a young Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Cristiano is unlucky to be playing at the same time as Messi. Ronaldo is a very good player but Messi is even better. He is out of this world. He’s so good that it’s almost incredible. When you see him with the ball at his feet, it’s hard to believe that anybody else could do the same. He’s a fantastic player to see," Larsson said [via GiveMeSport].
All of Larsson's players in his dream 5-a-side team belong to the iconic Barcelona side that won the UEFA Champions League in 2006.
When former Juventus player, who played with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, chose between the two
Bosnian football legend Miralem Pjanic once shared his opinion on the Messi vs Ronaldo debate. In a 2020 interview with Julio Maldonado on his YouTube channel Mundo Maldini, Pjanic said while he had 'more fun with' Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi was an alien.
“I was lucky enough to play with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and it's hard to say who is stronger. However, I had more fun with Ronaldo than with Messi. They are two of the greatest footballers of all time and they are great examples for the kids, I talk a lot with Cristiano Ronaldo. I have many memories with him, he's a great footballer," Pjanic said.
"He [Messi] is an alien. He is an absolute phenomenon, capable of doing anything with the ball. Now I see Messi very focused and motivated at Barca and we have to help him in his game," he added.
Miralem Pjanic played with Ronaldo for three years when the Portuguese legend joined Juventus in 2017. Thereafter, Pjanic joined Barcelona and played with Messi from 2020 onwards.