Antonio Cassano claims Guti could have been “the best ever” and expects Zinedine Zidane to prove himself as a “top Coach” at Real Madrid.
In a candid interview with AS on Friday, in which he also accused himself of wasting his spell at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Sampdoria forward was asked about his favourite Blancos teammates, but not before he was pressed on whether Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi was the better player.
“Look, Cristiano [Ronaldo] is like [Rafael] Nadal and [Lionel] Messi is like [Roger] Federer,” he noted.
“Nadal is a phenomenon, but when he loses his physical edge, he won’t be able to win everything.
“Federer is 35 and will always have quality. For now, Cristiano is competing with Messi, but in two or three years, he’ll dip. Messi will play to 35, 36 or 37.
“I’d always tell my friends that I played with two of the five best-ever players: Zizou and Ronnie [Ronaldo], the phenomenon.
“But I think that if he had the head and professionalism to reach the top, Guti could have been the best ever.
“Guti had a fantastic quality. Fantastic! He was from another realm. He could play in midfield, as a playmaker, on the wings …
“He was a good person! Everyone speaks well of him, but one day he’d train well, another he wouldn’t, another day he was leaving and nobody knew what he was doing.
“He was like me, although I was a mess. At least he played 15 years at Madrid …
“He’s a chapeau, both as a player and person. How he used to train!
“He never spoke, probably three times in a year and a half, and everyone listened without saying a word.
“He trained at his best, always. He and Raul were two leaders, but different.
“One spoke as the captain, and the other, Zizou, spoke when he had to speak and everyone listened.
“I think Zizou will be a top Coach. If Zizou says something, all the players listen.
“Few have the personality and confidence he has. He’s made history, so everyone must listen to him, Cristiano being the first. Who can oppose him?
“David [Beckham] was perfect, but he was also a good person.
“All the women wanted to know him, but it wasn’t possible because he was married and had a son.
“I had a girlfriend when I joined Madrid, yes, but after a month …”
