Belletti: Ronaldinho was better than Messi

Belletti believes the Barcelona team he formed part of between 2004 and ’07 was superior to Pep Guardiola’s current model, and that Ronaldinho in his pomp was better than Lionel Messi is today.

“I rate the team I played in much higher, principally because of the opponents we faced,” the 35-year-old, who scored the winner against Arsenal in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League final, told SporTV. “We played against Real Madrid of [Zinedine] Zidane, Ronaldo and [Luis] Figo, Milan of Kaka, and a Liverpool team who were going through a great phase.”

Belletti, who left Camp Nou for Chelsea in 2007 and hung up his boots last year, also identified the key difference between the two Barcelona sides.

“We played with an established system, different to today’s team,” said the former right-back. “Now you never know how they’ll play. Sometimes it looks like they are using a three-seven [formation], with three defenders and seven players roaming about.”

When the debate switched to whether the Barcelona No10 he played alongside or the jersey’s current occupier was better, Belletti cited the class of opponents Ronaldinho was up against and Guardiola's current team being built around its Argentinian forward as the reasons for siding with his compatriot.


Ronaldinho joined the Catalan giants in a big-money transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2003, and inspired the club to two La Liga titles and Champions League glory. The mercurial Brazilian was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and ’05, before leaving for AC Milan in 2008.

Messi made his competitive Barça debut in 2004, and has since become a champion of Spain five times, Europe thrice and the world twice. The 24-year-old is fresh from seizing his third successive FIFA Ballon D’Or.

“Ronaldinho had opponents who magnified his peak even more – he was up against Zidane, Figo. He also earned me many titles.

“Messi has much more help at Barcelona. If I had to chose between Ronaldinho at that time or Messi now, I’d chose Gaúcho.”


http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1573031.html

Well "better" is subjective I guess. People like flashy players and Messi is far from that; he barely does any tricks of note.

So a Brazilian chooses a fellow Brazilian over a Argie wow, how suprising!!!

he was more entertaining thats for sure

When he says better, does he talk about minutes or hours?

Dinho was more entertaining to watch

Considering Ronaldinho himself rates Messi higher, Belletti's words become rather irrelevant. Still a legend for the 06 CL though

Ninis wrote:he was more entertaining thats for sure

DRK wrote:Dinho was more entertaining to watch

About the only thing, and maybe freekick, that Dinho is better at than Messi...

bazinga wrote:Considering Ronaldinho himself rates Messi higher, Belletti's words become rather irrelevant. Still a legend for the 06 CL though

When did Ronaldinho ever say Messi was better than him?

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.”


I assume this would be it.

Are you trying to tell me you think Messi was better than Ronaldinho in 2006?

No, obviously not.

I am simply answering your question.

Ronaldinho is a humble guy, he would never say he is the best at anything

I remember that quote too, Franchise, but I don't think that was the one he meant to reference (correct me if im wrong)

The quote I remember Ronaldinho clearly saying, after he won the Ballon D'or, was, speaking about Messi : "everyone watch this kid, because he will become better than us all"

If I had to chose between Ronaldinho at that time or Messi now, I’d chose Gaúcho.”

Bordering on delusion, in my opinion.

^tbh, if someone gave me an assist for the winning goal in the CL final, i'd say the same thing as Belletti and probably build a statue of Ronaldinho in my house.

if only Henry had his scoring boots on that game