Brazil legend Ronaldinho has revealed what Liverpool player he would’ve liked to have played with during his career – and it may not be who you’d expect.
In a career that spanned almost two decades, Ronaldinho, 44, played for some of the most elite clubs in world football - including Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG.
At the peak of his powers, he was known for his eccentric playing style and would regularly beat players seemingly at will with his trickery and perfect technique.
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Arguably best known for his exploits with the Brazilian national team and Barcelona, the 2002 World Cup winner has shared the pitch with some legendary players.
Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldo Nazario and Kaka were all former teammates of Ronaldinho, but he admitted that it was an ex-Liverpool star who he wishes he would’ve had the chance to play with.
Speaking in 2018 to Sport 45, the legend discussed several names from the current crop of talent.
He admitted that Messi was “the best in history”, explaining how “no one has done what Messi’s done”.
His admiration for the Argentine is hardly a surprise, but the other current player he ‘wishes’ he would’ve shared a pitch with is surprising.
“There are a lot of players who I didn't coincide with, and I would have liked to play with them,” said Ronaldinho.
“[Philippe] Coutinho is one of them. [Andres] Iniesta and him are great players. They each have their own style, but I think the Coutinho will be one of the big names in world football.
“He already is, but I think that he will be more still.”
At the time, Coutinho, 32, was playing for Liverpool and was arguably one of the Reds’ best players, having registered seven goals and six assists in just 14 appearances during the 2017-18 Premier League season.
This was enough to convince Barca to sign the player in January 2018 for a reported £142m (initial £108m), according to The Athletic.
However, things did not go as planned for Coutinho in La Liga, and he was loaned to Bayern Munich in August 2019. He failed to settle in Bavaria despite showing glimpses of his ability.
In January 2022, he returned to the Premier League - initially on loan at Aston Villa - before making the move permanent in the summer of 2022.
But once again, he could not find form on a consistent basis and was loaned to Qatari side Al-Duhail before again being loaned out to his native Brazil, where he currently plays for Vasco da Gama.
Topics: Liverpool, Ronaldinho, Philippe Coutinho, Barcelona, Premier League, Transfers
Luke Davies