Virgil Van Dijk And Sergio Ramos Name Their Toughest Opponents, Only One Picks Lionel Messi

Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos and Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk have both revealed the toughest opponents they have faced in their respective careers.

Van Dijk, 29, has played against Lionel Messi in the Champions League and even challenged the Barcelona superstar for the Ballon d'Or in 2019.

During a Q&A on Twitter, the Dutch centre-back was asked who was the toughest opponent he has played against in his career.

While Van Dijk named Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero as the toughest to mark, the Liverpool star picked Messi as the most difficult player he has crossed paths with on the football pitch.

"There are some difficult strikers out there but probably Leo Messi," the Netherlands captain said.

Meanwhile, Ramos has battled it out against Messi for many seasons during heated El Clasico matches.

However, the 34-year-old Spaniard didn't name the six-time Ballon d'Or winner amongst his toughest opponents.

Ramos revealed that his toughest opponent came in the form of Brazil legend Ronaldinho, who he described as "virtually unstoppable at his best."

The Spain captain explained: "There've been many. Ronaldinho was virtually unstoppable at his best, as a forward or a playmaker."

Ramos added that former Barcelona and Inter Milan star Samuel Eto'o was another tricky opponent that he played against in his career.

And the Madrid star insisted that former Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was "a lot of trouble."

Ramos continued: "Samuel Eto'o, on his day, or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a striker who was a lot of trouble with his size, holds the ball up well, plays great with his back to goal and was fast."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Liverpool, Los Blancos, Football News, Sergio Ramos, Football, REds, Lionel Messi, Premier League, Virgil Van Dijk, Real Madrid, La Liga

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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