""Quotes""

Khaledbarca wrote:Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund): "My childhood dream was always to play at Camp Nou. It's fun to also watch teams like Barcelona or Arsenal"

Kagawa & now Gotze!

Ozil & Van der Vart said the same words, one year later they played for Real Madrid!

Cristiano Ronaldo - "Lionel Messi is now the best player of the world."

Deco - “Messi is Romario, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho together.”

Manolo Preciado (coach Sporting Gijon) - "How to stop Messi? A Kalashnikov."

Gianluca Zambrotta -"I've been lucky enough to play alongside a lot of champions, players like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho and Kaka. But I've never seen anyone do things with the ball like Lionel Messi. He is simply incredible."

David Villa - "When you were still in Valencia someone asked you to choose between Messi and Cristiano, and you answered Leo."

”I haven’t seen anything like him on a football pitch. Look, there were many brilliant players throughout history, but with all respect to the opinions of other people, no one is even close to Leo.”

Neymar - "Barcelona are the best team in the world and they've got the world's best player (Messi) in their side"

Luis Suarez - "I'm not jealous of Messi. He just has a gift the others have not. He's the best."

David Beckham - “He is the best in the world, simple as that. He is a player that when any kid watches him, wants to be him. They wanna watch everything he does; the way he conducts himself and the way he works hard for the team. He is not just a player – technically he is the best in the world – [but] he works hard for the team and that’s what makes him the person and the player that he is. You watch him and it’s like watching an eight or nine year old play. He just goes and enjoys himself. I think he goes into every game thinking that if this is my last game, this is how I’m going to play and every game he plays, he plays like that. He is a special player.”

Is Messi potentially the greatest ever?

Wenger - "Yes." 

You think he's that good?

Wenger - "Yes."

Ossie Ardiles - “I would now say that Lionel Messi will go down in history as the No.1 player of all time, the best that there ever was,"

Graeme Souness - "I think he might be the best player that has ever played the game, given that he's 23... He's best around, and I've played against Maradona many times, some people say that Maradona was better, but I disagree.

Alan Shearer - “Cristiano Ronaldo went for £80m but Messi would smash that. I would go as far as to say he could be the best ever – maybe even now, on the basis of what he’s continually doing. What did he get last year – 49 or 50 goals? And he’s got 52 this year. He makes world-class defenders look like park players, week in, week out. And he’s 23. Scary.

He’s doing it in the Champions League. He’s a little genius, he is. Incredible. He plays every game. I don’t know whether he’s got something in his contract where he has to play every time – but he does. I’m sure sometimes the manager would like to rest him. The way he plays, he’s playing with his mates on a Sunday morning, with no fear. I love that about him.”

Patrick Kluivert - "Please, please! Messi is impressing, words cannot describe.
Leo does everything at high speed, that's the football of today. Leo always has two players upon him, which is a bargain for a coach, because you can take advantage with the other players of your team who can create superiority chances (In dutch: man-meer-situaties). Leo should always play with freedom, because there is no-one like him. He's without doubt the best footballer in the world. Nobody else plays and thinks as fast as him. Let me coach him, even if it's for one day!"

Dick Advocaat (fifa ballon dor 2010):
For the second time in a row the forward of Barcelona and the Argentinean national team Lionel Messi received the FIFA Golden Ball.
"I voted for Messi," said the head coach of the Russian national team Dick Advocaat. "Why? Because he is the best player in the world."
"No buts… it does not matter that he has not won anything. Until Messi plays the way he does I will always vote for him."
"As for Snejder I put him second. But my colleagues decided differently and Snejder did not get to the top three."

Figo (Inter advisor, at fifa ballon dor 2010) - “This is an individual trophy and Messi is the best. He won despite the fact that both Xavi and Iniesta had done very well this year. I am not surprised that they elected Messi. I think that Xavi and Iniesta have deserved to win, but Messi is a player who is above everyone.”

Rivaldo (at fifa ballon dor 2010) - "Congratulations Messi. I think he'll win another 3, he's on teh way, playing a lot. He really deserves it."

Cassilas (Dec 2010) - "They are great players and, in fairness, I hope Messi will understand, I opted for Xavi and Iniesta. Messi is the best in the world, but I prefer them."

Mourinho (fifa ballon dor 2010) - "Messi is out of this world but i would have given the award to Sneijder..."

Arsène Wenger - “Messi’s like a PlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make. He made the impossible possible. He has something exceptional. He has six or seven years in front of him, touchwood that nothing happens to him, and he can reach unbelievable levels. “In the biggest games, exceptional players still make the difference. Messi is the best player in the world, and by a distance. His team work to get him moving and once he's on the run, Messi is unstoppable. He's the only player who can change direction at such a pace." 

Ossie Ardiles - "Messi is out of this planet, I would say he is so far ahead of the rest of the players playing right now and I would say historically as well. There are not words to describe him.

Hristo Stoichkov - "Once they said they can only stop me with a pistol but today you need a machine gun to stop him."

Andres Iniesta - "If the people have voted for Leo Messi it's because he deserves it and because he's a just winner. We were the three nominations, any of us could have won, but Leo has won and we need to congratulate him. We are very happy for him and for having been here."

Luis Figo - "For me, to watch Messi play is a pleasure – it's like having an orgasm – it's an incredible pleasure."

Ruud Gullit - "He is already the best in the world and it is also all about the work he does without the ball. He wants to tackle back and get the ball.

"He is an exceptional talent. I still think Diego Maradona is the best player I have ever seen – but Messi is closing in fast. He's a wonderful sight in full flight and we are lucky to have him around."

Diego Maradona - "I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Lionel Messi. Messi is a genius and he can become an even better player. His potential is limitless and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player."

Pep Guardiola - “Put in the superlatives yourselves, I’m running out. It’s already been a while now that he has been outstanding. He’s more than decisive in every way. That he’s capable of doing everything that he does at his age is something impressive, that doesn’t make any sense.

“The best players are always in the thick of the action. (Michael) Jordan did it with the Bulls, (Kobe) Bryant does it with the Lakers and Leo does it here. We want him to stay with us because he’s the best and we wouldn’t swap him for anyone.”

"You have to see [his level of performance] – it is not something you can describe because you have to see it to believe it."

"The good thing about Messi is that tomorrow [after his four goals against Arsenal] he will get up and look for the affection of his people and his team-mates. I like the love he has for football and his anonymous character,"

Sergio Ramos - "Since the fist time I saw him play I have always said he surprised me, and he has done every day since."

Ronaldinho [On receiving the Ballon d’Or in 2006] - “This award says I’m the best player in the world, but I’m not even the best player at Barcelona.”

“Leo Messi reminds me more of Maradona, both left-footed and short, Messi is the best player in the world, along with Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. For us it is not a surprise. Since he began to come and train with us and we knew we would go down this path. Someday I will explain that I was at the birth of one of the footballing greats: Leo Messi."

Carles Puyol - "He is a spectacular player, there is nobody else like him. I should know because I have suffered so much in training. I think he is the best forward at the moment and I think he will be so for many more years. He has his feet on the ground."

José Aurelio Gay [Real Zaragoza coach speaking after their recent 4-2 defeat to Barca] - “Tonight, I saw Diego Maradona, but at more revs per minute. There are no words left to describe him – he is interplanetary. We could have beaten Barcelona but we could never have beaten Leo Messi. If we had scored four, he would have scored 12.”

Ander Herrera [Real Zaragoza playmaker that night] - “I’m not sure he’s human.”

Frank Rijkaard - "He’s a unique player because he can do things of almost imperceptible excellence and is a gem to watch."

Xavi - "He (Messi) is one step above us all. He's the best player and there can be no argument."

"It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind."

"I am asked this question [is Messi the greatest player on the planet?] every season and every time I say the same thing. He's a fantastic player and moreover he is my friend."

”Messi is even better than Maradona”

Paolo Maldini - “When I see Messi play, in my opinion, he should win the Ballon d’Or every year. He is an unbelievable player.”

Julio Grondona [President of the Argentine FA] - "Without Messi there isn’t a team for Argentina, Messi is brilliant, different, with a strong mentality. Let’s hope he doesn’t change."

Carlos Tévez - "His speed is astonishing. It’s amazing how he can go 1 to 100 in just one second. I’m constantly around great players like Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Wayne] Rooney, but this guy is just a step up above every other great footballer out there at the moment. Not only is he quick, determined, and extremely intelligent on the ball, but his movement off the ball is just as fantastic – unbelievable to sum it up in a word."

Johann Cruyff - "He deserves ten out of ten for doing what he does. He is a sensation, but still he can improve. He must know when to move the ball on quickly and when to try the impossible mission. When he learns this, he won’t win a single Golden Ball, but an entire collection."

Juan Sebastian Veron - "I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates. We must protect him. I’d personally put him in a drawer of my bedside table."

Getafe coach Michel - "Is he better than Maradona? For me yes. I've played against Maradona and I can say that what I have seen Messi, I have not seen done by anyone since I'm in the football world and now I am getting closer to fifty years, " 

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - "Nobody was so wonderful at 19 years, neither Pele nor Maradona."

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva [Presdient of Brazil] - "When I see Messi – who is the best player in the world in my opinion – lose the ball, he runs off until he gets it back or commits a foul. Our guys lose the ball and fold their arms."

Fernando Gago [Real Madrid and Argentina] - "For me, the best in the world is Messi because of the way he plays, moves with the ball and changes matches, Messi has incredible ability and I love the way that he plays. I always thank God that he is an Argentine, not just as a player, but as a person too."

Thierry Henry - "I have the possibility to watch Messi in training each morning, and, because of what he demonstrates, he is the best player in the world. It is a pleasure to watch him and because of the way he plays he is an undisputed leader of the Barcelona team.

"Leo is not human. That is the truth"

"Frankly, I've not seen a player with such mastery with the ball for so long, a player capable to eliminate adversaries at such pace and so easily. If I tried to do the same, I'd fall!"

"Each time he does one step he touches the ball. After his fourth goal, I said to myself I have to stand up and applaud him. It was amazing. Like any great player he's a fighter, he can't lose. During training sessions if his team loses 2-1, he gets the ball, dribbles around everyone and scores, and we start again from scratch."

Juan Laporta [Barcelona president] - “Messi, without doubt, is the leader of Barcelona. He is the best player in the world and the best in the history of football. Along with [Johan] Cruyff and [Diego] Maradona he is the best player we have seen at Barca.”

Marcello Lippi - "The best? Messi."

Christian Gross - “I think he is certainly one of the best in the world and people are right to make comparisons with Diego Maradona. It’s amazing when you think he is still only 22 years old. He’s just a fantastic player.”

Mikel Arteta - "It is as if someone commands him from the stands, like a video game. I have never seen a human run with the ball at that speed. I have not seen Maradona so I cannot compare, but Messi is simply unbeatable."

Raul - "The other day I saw one of his games. He was running with the ball at a hundred per cent full speed, I don’t know how many touches he took, maybe five or six, but the ball was glued to his foot. It’s practically impossible!"

Zidane - “I think that everyone will say the same things about him,” the Frenchman told uefa.com. “You just have to watch him and enjoy the show he is putting on game after game for Barcelona.

“He makes the difference most of the time. In particular, he is always going forwards. He never passes the ball backwards or sideways. He has only one idea, to run towards the goal.

“So as a football fan, just enjoy the show.”

On Ballond D'or "it will go for one of the Spanish players ,but it doesn't matter, Messi s the best player in the world."

Jose Maria Del Nido (Sevilla president) - "It is sacrilege to compare Messi Cristiano Ronaldo"

"Cristiano is a good player while Messi is the best player in the world, the largest and sure to be the greatest among the great," said Sevilla president in four.


Lionel Messi - "Diego is Diego and for me he is the greatest player of all time. Even after a million years I am not even going to be close to Maradona. I have no intention of comparing myself with Maradona – I want to make my own history for something I have achieved."

jiopsi wrote:Small collection of quotes about Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo - "Lionel Messi is now the best player of the world."

Deco - “Messi is Romario, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho together.”

Manolo Preciado (coach Sporting Gijon) - "How to stop Messi? A Kalashnikov."

Gianluca Zambrotta -"I've been lucky enough to play alongside a lot of champions, players like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho and Kaka. But I've never seen anyone do things with the ball like Lionel Messi. He is simply incredible."

David Villa - "When you were still in Valencia someone asked you to choose between Messi and Cristiano, and you answered Leo."

”I haven’t seen anything like him on a football pitch. Look, there were many brilliant players throughout history, but with all respect to the opinions of other people, no one is even close to Leo.”

Neymar - "Barcelona are the best team in the world and they've got the world's best player (Messi) in their side"

Luis Suarez - "I'm not jealous of Messi. He just has a gift the others have not. He's the best."

David Beckham - “He is the best in the world, simple as that. He is a player that when any kid watches him, wants to be him. They wanna watch everything he does; the way he conducts himself and the way he works hard for the team. He is not just a player – technically he is the best in the world – [but] he works hard for the team and that’s what makes him the person and the player that he is. You watch him and it’s like watching an eight or nine year old play. He just goes and enjoys himself. I think he goes into every game thinking that if this is my last game, this is how I’m going to play and every game he plays, he plays like that. He is a special player.”

Is Messi potentially the greatest ever?

Wenger - "Yes." 

You think he's that good?

Wenger - "Yes."

Ossie Ardiles - “I would now say that Lionel Messi will go down in history as the No.1 player of all time, the best that there ever was,"

Graeme Souness - "I think he might be the best player that has ever played the game, given that he's 23... He's best around, and I've played against Maradona many times, some people say that Maradona was better, but I disagree.

Alan Shearer - “Cristiano Ronaldo went for £80m but Messi would smash that. I would go as far as to say he could be the best ever – maybe even now, on the basis of what he’s continually doing. What did he get last year – 49 or 50 goals? And he’s got 52 this year. He makes world-class defenders look like park players, week in, week out. And he’s 23. Scary.

He’s doing it in the Champions League. He’s a little genius, he is. Incredible. He plays every game. I don’t know whether he’s got something in his contract where he has to play every time – but he does. I’m sure sometimes the manager would like to rest him. The way he plays, he’s playing with his mates on a Sunday morning, with no fear. I love that about him.”

Patrick Kluivert - "Please, please! Messi is impressing, words cannot describe.
Leo does everything at high speed, that's the football of today. Leo always has two players upon him, which is a bargain for a coach, because you can take advantage with the other players of your team who can create superiority chances (In dutch: man-meer-situaties). Leo should always play with freedom, because there is no-one like him. He's without doubt the best footballer in the world. Nobody else plays and thinks as fast as him. Let me coach him, even if it's for one day!"

Dick Advocaat (fifa ballon dor 2010):
For the second time in a row the forward of Barcelona and the Argentinean national team Lionel Messi received the FIFA Golden Ball.
"I voted for Messi," said the head coach of the Russian national team Dick Advocaat. "Why? Because he is the best player in the world."
"No buts… it does not matter that he has not won anything. Until Messi plays the way he does I will always vote for him."
"As for Snejder I put him second. But my colleagues decided differently and Snejder did not get to the top three."

Figo (Inter advisor, at fifa ballon dor 2010) - “This is an individual trophy and Messi is the best. He won despite the fact that both Xavi and Iniesta had done very well this year. I am not surprised that they elected Messi. I think that Xavi and Iniesta have deserved to win, but Messi is a player who is above everyone.”

Rivaldo (at fifa ballon dor 2010) - "Congratulations Messi. I think he'll win another 3, he's on teh way, playing a lot. He really deserves it."

Cassilas (Dec 2010) - "They are great players and, in fairness, I hope Messi will understand, I opted for Xavi and Iniesta. Messi is the best in the world, but I prefer them."

Mourinho (fifa ballon dor 2010) - "Messi is out of this world but i would have given the award to Sneijder..."

Arsène Wenger - “Messi’s like a PlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make. He made the impossible possible. He has something exceptional. He has six or seven years in front of him, touchwood that nothing happens to him, and he can reach unbelievable levels. “In the biggest games, exceptional players still make the difference. Messi is the best player in the world, and by a distance. His team work to get him moving and once he's on the run, Messi is unstoppable. He's the only player who can change direction at such a pace." 

Ossie Ardiles - "Messi is out of this planet, I would say he is so far ahead of the rest of the players playing right now and I would say historically as well. There are not words to describe him.

Hristo Stoichkov - "Once they said they can only stop me with a pistol but today you need a machine gun to stop him."

Andres Iniesta - "If the people have voted for Leo Messi it's because he deserves it and because he's a just winner. We were the three nominations, any of us could have won, but Leo has won and we need to congratulate him. We are very happy for him and for having been here."

Luis Figo - "For me, to watch Messi play is a pleasure – it's like having an orgasm – it's an incredible pleasure."

Ruud Gullit - "He is already the best in the world and it is also all about the work he does without the ball. He wants to tackle back and get the ball.

"He is an exceptional talent. I still think Diego Maradona is the best player I have ever seen – but Messi is closing in fast. He's a wonderful sight in full flight and we are lucky to have him around."

Diego Maradona - "I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Lionel Messi. Messi is a genius and he can become an even better player. His potential is limitless and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player."

Pep Guardiola - “Put in the superlatives yourselves, I’m running out. It’s already been a while now that he has been outstanding. He’s more than decisive in every way. That he’s capable of doing everything that he does at his age is something impressive, that doesn’t make any sense.

“The best players are always in the thick of the action. (Michael) Jordan did it with the Bulls, (Kobe) Bryant does it with the Lakers and Leo does it here. We want him to stay with us because he’s the best and we wouldn’t swap him for anyone.”

"You have to see [his level of performance] – it is not something you can describe because you have to see it to believe it."

"The good thing about Messi is that tomorrow [after his four goals against Arsenal] he will get up and look for the affection of his people and his team-mates. I like the love he has for football and his anonymous character,"

Sergio Ramos - "Since the fist time I saw him play I have always said he surprised me, and he has done every day since."

Ronaldinho [On receiving the Ballon d’Or in 2006] - “This award says I’m the best player in the world, but I’m not even the best player at Barcelona.”

“Leo Messi reminds me more of Maradona, both left-footed and short, Messi is the best player in the world, along with Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. For us it is not a surprise. Since he began to come and train with us and we knew we would go down this path. Someday I will explain that I was at the birth of one of the footballing greats: Leo Messi."

Carles Puyol - "He is a spectacular player, there is nobody else like him. I should know because I have suffered so much in training. I think he is the best forward at the moment and I think he will be so for many more years. He has his feet on the ground."

José Aurelio Gay [Real Zaragoza coach speaking after their recent 4-2 defeat to Barca] - “Tonight, I saw Diego Maradona, but at more revs per minute. There are no words left to describe him – he is interplanetary. We could have beaten Barcelona but we could never have beaten Leo Messi. If we had scored four, he would have scored 12.”

Ander Herrera [Real Zaragoza playmaker that night] - “I’m not sure he’s human.”

Frank Rijkaard - "He’s a unique player because he can do things of almost imperceptible excellence and is a gem to watch."

Xavi - "He (Messi) is one step above us all. He's the best player and there can be no argument."

"It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind."

"I am asked this question [is Messi the greatest player on the planet?] every season and every time I say the same thing. He's a fantastic player and moreover he is my friend."

”Messi is even better than Maradona”

Paolo Maldini - “When I see Messi play, in my opinion, he should win the Ballon d’Or every year. He is an unbelievable player.”

Julio Grondona [President of the Argentine FA] - "Without Messi there isn’t a team for Argentina, Messi is brilliant, different, with a strong mentality. Let’s hope he doesn’t change."

Carlos Tévez - "His speed is astonishing. It’s amazing how he can go 1 to 100 in just one second. I’m constantly around great players like Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Wayne] Rooney, but this guy is just a step up above every other great footballer out there at the moment. Not only is he quick, determined, and extremely intelligent on the ball, but his movement off the ball is just as fantastic – unbelievable to sum it up in a word."

Johann Cruyff - "He deserves ten out of ten for doing what he does. He is a sensation, but still he can improve. He must know when to move the ball on quickly and when to try the impossible mission. When he learns this, he won’t win a single Golden Ball, but an entire collection."

Juan Sebastian Veron - "I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates. We must protect him. I’d personally put him in a drawer of my bedside table."

Getafe coach Michel - "Is he better than Maradona? For me yes. I've played against Maradona and I can say that what I have seen Messi, I have not seen done by anyone since I'm in the football world and now I am getting closer to fifty years, " 

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - "Nobody was so wonderful at 19 years, neither Pele nor Maradona."

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva [Presdient of Brazil] - "When I see Messi – who is the best player in the world in my opinion – lose the ball, he runs off until he gets it back or commits a foul. Our guys lose the ball and fold their arms."

Fernando Gago [Real Madrid and Argentina] - "For me, the best in the world is Messi because of the way he plays, moves with the ball and changes matches, Messi has incredible ability and I love the way that he plays. I always thank God that he is an Argentine, not just as a player, but as a person too."

Thierry Henry - "I have the possibility to watch Messi in training each morning, and, because of what he demonstrates, he is the best player in the world. It is a pleasure to watch him and because of the way he plays he is an undisputed leader of the Barcelona team.

"Leo is not human. That is the truth"

"Frankly, I've not seen a player with such mastery with the ball for so long, a player capable to eliminate adversaries at such pace and so easily. If I tried to do the same, I'd fall!"

"Each time he does one step he touches the ball. After his fourth goal, I said to myself I have to stand up and applaud him. It was amazing. Like any great player he's a fighter, he can't lose. During training sessions if his team loses 2-1, he gets the ball, dribbles around everyone and scores, and we start again from scratch."

Juan Laporta [Barcelona president] - “Messi, without doubt, is the leader of Barcelona. He is the best player in the world and the best in the history of football. Along with [Johan] Cruyff and [Diego] Maradona he is the best player we have seen at Barca.”

Marcello Lippi - "The best? Messi."

Christian Gross - “I think he is certainly one of the best in the world and people are right to make comparisons with Diego Maradona. It’s amazing when you think he is still only 22 years old. He’s just a fantastic player.”

Mikel Arteta - "It is as if someone commands him from the stands, like a video game. I have never seen a human run with the ball at that speed. I have not seen Maradona so I cannot compare, but Messi is simply unbeatable."

Raul - "The other day I saw one of his games. He was running with the ball at a hundred per cent full speed, I don’t know how many touches he took, maybe five or six, but the ball was glued to his foot. It’s practically impossible!"

Zidane - “I think that everyone will say the same things about him,” the Frenchman told uefa.com. “You just have to watch him and enjoy the show he is putting on game after game for Barcelona.

“He makes the difference most of the time. In particular, he is always going forwards. He never passes the ball backwards or sideways. He has only one idea, to run towards the goal.

“So as a football fan, just enjoy the show.”

On Ballond D'or "it will go for one of the Spanish players ,but it doesn't matter, Messi s the best player in the world."

Jose Maria Del Nido (Sevilla president) - "It is sacrilege to compare Messi Cristiano Ronaldo"

"Cristiano is a good player while Messi is the best player in the world, the largest and sure to be the greatest among the great," said Sevilla president in four.


Lionel Messi - "Diego is Diego and for me he is the greatest player of all time. Even after a million years I am not even going to be close to Maradona. I have no intention of comparing myself with Maradona – I want to make my own history for something I have achieved."