Gerard Pique Hails Lionel Messi as ‘The Greatest Player in History’ Over Cristiano Ronaldo, Reflecting on Youth Days Before Link-Up With CR7

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the best of the best in the soccer world. Few players have had the privilege of sharing the pitch with both, and among them is Gerard Pique, whose career has intertwined with Messi at Barcelona and Ronaldo during their youth days at Manchester United. However, even after sharing a locker room with both, for Pique, Messi is ‘for sure’ the winner of the GOAT debate!

The revelation came in the latest podcast with talkSPORT. When asked if Messi is the greatest player he has ever played with, the former Barcelona defender replied, “Yeah, for sure. He’s the greatest player in the history of the game. So, for sure.” When further asked about being a good pal with the Argentine on a day-to-day basis, he shared his first experience with a 13-year-old La Pulga, with whom he played alongside for 4-5 years in La Masia. 

“When he arrived, he was very small, thin, like crazy small. We saw him first and said, ‘Whoa, this guy, if we touch him, we will destroy him so be careful.'” However, it wasn’t any ordinary kid that Pique was about to play against, as he revealed how Lionel Messi magically dribbled past everyone, making it impossible for the ex-Spanish defender to not just be able to tackle but also say, “Wow, what is this?”. He further revealed how the 8x Ballon d’Or winner started to become an important figure in La Masia before he left for United. 

The 2010 World Cup winner with Spain claimed that it was ‘incredible‘ how against a youth team including Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, and himself, rival teams used to lose 13-0, 35-0. “It was boring,” he added. While it’s clear, he holds the Argentine at the top, the former defender also shared profound memories with CR7.

Despite spending more than a decade with Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique had ‘fun’ with Cristiano Ronaldo

Gerard Pique further talked about the brief time he spent with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United. He revealed how the two became friends. “When I played with him, he wasn’t speaking English at that time so he spoke Portuguese which is similar to Spanish and this is why we became like very close. I had so much fun at that time with Cristiano,” Pique expressed. 

In three years under Sir Alex Ferguson, they together lifted the 2007–08 Premier League and the 2006 League Cup. However, a year later, the defender made a return to Barcelona to unite with Lionel Messi. Rest is history, as he finished a remarkable career with the Catalan club and also became a rival of CR7. Regardless of Pique’s unwavering belief in Messi’s dominance, his recognition of Ronaldo’s impact highlights the long-lasting legacy of both soccer icons.

READ MORE: Years After Top 8 Snub, Cristiano Ronaldo Dumped Again by Ronaldo Nazario for Lionel Messi