A Quote by Ernesto Valverde
Messi is the same player in Barcelona and Argentina, and it would be the same if he played with Australia.
Related Quotes
It is possible to stop Messi. Teams do it when he plays for Argentina. But the Barcelona Messi is different.
The problem is that when Argentina doesn't play well - and the same is true of Barcelona - the press think it is easy to blame Messi. We have seen time and time again that he wins games on his own when the team is not performing - but the media expect him to always be the hero.
Messi is not really from Barca's ranks. What they did was sign the most talented kid in the whole of Argentina! Messi was already Messi when he arrived at Barcelona - they simply polished him. Cristiano Ronaldo is already too old to learn and change the way he is. When he was 13, someone should have sent him home when he didn't behave properly.
I have played against (Michel) Platini, (Diego) Maradona, (Johan) Cruyff and played with George Best — a lot of big names, but none of them has been able to do what Messi does. Two years ago I said that the best player I played against was Maradona and the best player I have played with was Bestie. But I can now say I have never seen a player as good as Messi. He’s in a league of his own.
Cristiano is unlucky to be playing in the same era as Messi. Ronaldo is a very good player, but Messi is even better.
When I talk about the early years in Oakland, I don't want to take anything away from who that player was, because that player was still a heck of a player, that player was just young. I played off the field the same way that I played on the field.
Ronaldo could play for Millwall, QPR, Doncaster Rovers or anyone and he'd score a hat-trick. I'm not sure Messi could do it. Ronaldo's got two feet, he's quick, he's good in the air and he's brave, though Messi's brave too of course. I just think Messi is a Barcelona player.
I had a poster of Iniesta. He seemed like a different player to me: elegant, special... a genius. I watched all the Barcelona games to see how they played and the geniuses, Iniesta and Messi. After, I tried to imitate them, but it was difficult.
If all experienced God in the same way and returned Him an identical worship, the song of the Church triumphant would have no symphony, it would be played like an orchestra in which all instruments played the same note.
Messi is a god, as a person and even more as a player. I hope that he wins the World Cup with Argentina.
If I would have had the absolute will, I would have been a starting XI player at Barcelona or would have played 10 years for Real Madrid or Manchester United.
It was a great time in my career, playing for Barcelona with the best players in the world, in the best team in the world at that moment. It was amazing for me. I can always say to anyone that I played at Barcelona with Messi, with Xavi, with Iniesta, with Pedro, with Pique. And we won a lot of trophies.
It's not that difficult to play well and win titles in a team like Barcelona, but it's in the national side where you see a player's true class. That was the case with figures like Pele, Diego Maradona and Zinedine Zidane. With Spain, Iniesta has shown that he is among the best players of all time and that's why I rate him higher than Messi or Ronaldo. Even though the latter two have incredible scoring records for their clubs, they still haven't won anything with Argentina or Portugal respectively.
Leo Messi is the best player in the world for me, but look at the others that have been at Barcelona.
Every player is different, but I try to treat everyone the same. On a day-to-day basis, I come across other footballers and club staff, and I try to treat all the same, from the security guard to Lionel Messi.
Football is a socialist sport. Financially, some may receive more rewards than others but, from a footballing perspective, for 90 minutes, regardless of whether you are Lionel Messi or the substitute right-back for Argentina, you are all working to the same end.
Related Authors
Allen Iverson Quotes
American
Athlete
Andy Murray Quotes
Scottish
Athlete
CM Punk Quotes
American
Athlete
Conor McGregor Quotes
Irish
Athlete
Georges St-Pierre Quotes
Canadian
Athlete
Jack LaLanne Quotes
American
Athlete
Jillian Michaels Quotes
American
Athlete
Jon Jones Quotes
American
Athlete
Kenny Smith Quotes
American
Athlete
Kevin Durant Quotes
American
Athlete
Rafael Nadal Quotes
Spanish
Athlete
Ronda Rousey Quotes
American
Athlete
Scottie Pippen Quotes
American
Athlete
Shaquille O'Neal Quotes
American
Athlete
Stephen Curry Quotes
American
Athlete
Usain Bolt Quotes
Jamaican
Athlete