Ronaldinho refused to name Lionel Messi as outright GOAT and claimed three players are better than him

Brazil legend Ronaldinho admitted that it was “difficult” for him to name Lionel Messi as the outright GOAT of football, despite playing together at Barcelona.

Messi’s legendary playing career at Barcelona saw him lift a whopping club-record 35 trophies at the Camp Nou, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.

The Barcelona legend continued to add silverware during his time in the French capital, with Messi lifting three trophies with Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi also ended his long-running silverware drought on the international stage after Argentina’s victory over South American rivals Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final.

The Inter Miami star is also the outright Ballon d’Or record holder, two ahead of fierce rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and lifted his most recent France Football award back in 2021.

Ronaldinho was at the Camp Nou when Messi burst onto the scene at Barcelona and played alongside the Argentina captain before his departure in 2008.

The 2002 World Cup winner insisted that he doesn’t like to compare Messi with other legends from the past, even though they were friends at Barcelona.

Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca after Messi’s sixth Ballon d’Or win, Ronaldinho said: “I’m glad Messi won the Ballon d’Or. We were also friends during our time at Barcelona.

“But I don’t like to compare, and I find it difficult to say he is the best of all time.”

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Ronaldinho, who officially retired from football in 2018, said that he could see PSG forward Messi as the “best of his era” ahead of Portugal star Ronaldo.

However, the former AC Milan and Barcelona star believes that Diego Maradona and Brazilian duo Pele and Ronaldo are also in the conversation for the GOAT of football.

“There was Maradona, Pele, Ronaldo... it’s hard to say that Messi is the best throughout the history of football,” Ronaldinho added.

“I can only say he is the best of his era.”

Messi has previously hailed the impact of Ronaldinho during his time at the Camp Nou, with the Brazilian arriving at Barcelona at a “bad time.”

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner claimed former Barcelona teammate Ronaldinho made people fall in love with him during his prolific spell at the club.

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“Ronaldinho was responsible for the change in Barca. It was a bad time and the change that came about with his arrival was amazing,” Messi said.

“In the first year, he didn’t win anything but people fell in love with him. Then the trophies started coming and he made all those people happy.

“Barca should always be grateful for everything he did.”