Former Barcelona man Xavi Hernandez says Leo Messi would not be the player he is today without Cristiano Ronaldo pushing him all the way.
The pair are widely considered as two of the best to have ever played the game, if not the best. Between them, they have won seven Ballon d’Or trophies among a whole host of accolades for their individual exploits.
Ahead of this Saturday’s Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu, Xavi, who now plays his football in Qatar, sat down to talk to ESPN about Ronaldo and Messi.
He stated:”Pele and Maradona both made a huge difference, but football has evolved. The players are better than they were, the game is better. Physically, tactically, technically and psychologically, football is better than ever. And Messi stands out as the best at the best time in the history of football.
And he continued: “But he wouldn’t be as good without Ronaldo. He wouldn’t have won all those Ballons d’Or. And I don’t think Ronaldo would have won them all too. They push each other. The difference between the two is that while they’re both great goalscorers, Messi is much more involved in the play of the team.”
Messi could make his return in the game this weekend having been out on the sidelines since September 26.
