Barcelona face Juventus in the Champions League this evening, with Lionel Messi coming up against his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since the Portuguese left Real Madrid and La Liga in the summer of 2018.
Much of the rhetoric around the game has been on the remarkable excellence of the pair, with much discussion over who’s the better player.
For super-agent Mino Raiola, however, both come in third-place in his estimation of footballers operating in the modern game. For him, number one spot is reserved for a client of his, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“Between Cristiano Ronaldo, of whom I am a great supporter, and Messi, I always choose the Portuguese,” Raiola said in an interview with Tuttosport in comments carried by Mundo Deportivo.
“However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a world apart. He is the most complete player in the history of football. He has the talent of Messi and the will of Cristiano.”
Ibrahimovic has scored 62 goals from 116 Sweden caps, and 478 goals from 771 club appearances. Ronaldo has scored 102 goals from 168 Portugal caps, and 648 goals from 859 club appearances. Messi has scored 71 goals from 140 Argentina caps, and 641 goals from 744 club appearances.
Ibrahimovic is the oldest of the three, at 39, and currently plays his football with Milan in Italy. Ronaldo, at Juventus, is 35, while Messi, still at Barcelona, is 33.
Featured image courtesy of Bleacher Report.
