Netherlands and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk once insisted Argentina and Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi is a better player than Portugal and Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Back in 2021, Van Dijk was asked to name the attacker who gave him the toughest time during their time in Europe. The 33-year-old centre-back replied (h/t Mirror):
Messi, 37, tasted a lot of success during his time in Europe. He netted 704 goals and registered 338 assists in 853 total appearances for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He has lifted eight Ballon d’Or awards so far.
Ronaldo, 40, found the back of the net 701 times and laid out 223 assists in 949 overall outings for Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, and Sporting CP. The Al-Nassr striker has won five Ballon d’Or awards so far.
Last Wednesday (April 30), Lamine Yamal helped Barcelona record a 3-3 UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg draw against Serie A outfit Inter Milan. He scored a fine goal, created two chances, and completed six of his 11 attempted dribbles.
Speaking after the continental encounter, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand stated the 17-year-old is already better than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at his age. He told TNT Sports (h/t Tribuna):
Showering more praise on the Spanish winger, Ferdinand continued:
Yamal, 17, has scored 22 goals and provided 33 assists in 101 total games for his boyhood club since making his professional debut in April 2023.
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