Paolo Maldini skips Cristiano Ronaldo in list of GOATs, chooses Lionel Messi and ‘real’ Ronaldo
Paolo Maldini is widely considered as one of the greatest center backs of all time and a critic of Cristiano Ronaldo
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Former AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini recently revealed the three best players he has ever seen in the sport. Maldini is considered to be one of the greatest center-backs of all time. The Italian’s exploits and heroics in the game of football are believed to be legendary by many.
Speaking about the greatest players he’s seen, Maldini stated, “The three greatest players I saw in my career were (Lionel) Messi, (Diego) Maradona, and Ronaldo (Nazario).” Maldini played against Maradona and Ronaldo during his time as a player.
However, Maldini talked about never facing Messi on a football pitch, stating: “I didn’t play against Messi because he was injured, thank God he was injured.” AC Milan took on Barcelona in the Champions League semifinal in 2005. Messi, however, was injured and was not included in the squad.
The thing that shocked most of the fans was the fact that the former Italian star didn’t choose Cristiano Ronaldo in his list of GOATs of football. In fact, instead of the Portuguese star, he selected Ronaldo Nazario, who is often claimed to be the ‘real’ Ronaldo by many in the sport.
Paolo Maldini has been prevalent in the conversations for the greatest defender of all time. During his time at AC Milan, a club he was the most loyal to and is currently the technical director of, Maldini won 26 trophies which include five Champions Leagues and seven Serie A’s.
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Will Lionel Messi return to Barcelona in the summer?
There have been multiple reports about Lionel Messi joining Barcelona in the summer. The Argentine’s current contract at PSG expires at the end of the season and Messi’s return to his former club is on the cards.
PSG are looking to have a major squad overhaul in the summer and they expect veterans Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, and Neymar to make way for new signings. This has led to multiple clubs being linked to the Argentine talisman including Al-Hilal and Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi left Barcelona in 2021 after spending 21 years at the club because of a combination of factors. Some of the factors include the financial difficulties faced by Barcelona, the club’s inability to meet the Spanish league’s salary cap requirements, and Messi’s desire for a new challenge.
However, Messi may return back to the Blaugrana as the club’s officials are doing everything to make the move possible. They are currently looking to find external sponsors to sign the Argentine without breaching any Financial Fair Play rules.
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