Mr. AC Milan, Paolo Maldini, believes the stars aligned in his favor in that he never had to face Lionel Messi in his long career. The Italian legend praised the little Argentine before naming his three best players of all time.
During a press conference for ESPN, a journalist asked Maldini about the age-old question involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi: “Who is better? Cristiano or Messi“? Maldini was quick to respond: “In my opinion, Messi might edge it, Ronaldo is also a top player and a strong individual. But I prefer Messi“.
The former technical Director of AC Milan favored the Argentine over Ronaldo. Messi later went on to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which made Maldini’s claim even stronger. In his 25-year-long career for AC Milan, Maldini made 902 appearances. He faced many great players in his career, from Zinedine Zidane to Diego Maradona.
Paolo Maldini on the GOAT 🐐 debate:
🎙️ Journalist: “Who is better? Cristiano or Messi?”
🔴⚫ Maldini: “In my opinion, Messi might edge it, Ronaldo is also a top player and a strong individual. But I prefer Messi. 🇦🇷”
🎙️ Journalist: “Toughest opponent you have faced?”
🔴⚫… pic.twitter.com/GN6Kpft9t7
— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) October 15, 2023
However, Maldini didn’t get a chance to face Lionel Messi during his early years at FC Barcelona. Maldini retired in 2009; before his retirement, FC Barcelona and AC Milan faced off in the 2005/06 semi-finals of the UCL. Lionel Messi was unavailable for the tie due to a torn muscle bundle. Maldini himself made a single appearance in the tie when he came off the bench in the first leg of the tie at San Siro.
Maldini addressed this fact in the ESPN interview: “I have had the chance to play against great players, Maradona, Ronaldo…I didn’t play against Messi because he was injured, thank God he was injured“. Two players from this statement would make an appearance again when Maldini named the best opponents he ever faced.
Paolo Maldini named his top three players of all time
Maldini elaborated on the chance to face Lionel Messi during that tie by showering praise on the Argentine. The ESPN journalist commented that Messi was lucky, as he never faced the Italian legend. Maldini jumped in to state the opposite: “No, no, I was lucky. I also played against [Michel] Platini, so a long, long time ago. So these three maybe were the best I played against“.
The AC Milan legend named Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, and Brazilian Ronaldo as the three toughest opponents he ever faced in his career. However, Platini didn’t make the list when Maldini named his top three players of all time.
Paolo Maldini, one of the greatest defenders in football history, names the three best players he’s ever seen 🐐 pic.twitter.com/QKBecbJRnq
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 10, 2023
In a documentary about Brazilian Ronaldo, Maldini revealed the three best players he ever watched in his life. He stated, “The three greatest players I saw in my career were Messi, Maradona and him [Ronaldo Nazario]“. Many were shocked to see some of the biggest players missing out on the list, including Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Great Pele.