Lionel Messi: Puyol counts himself lucky to play against Argentine at Barcelona
- Lionel Messi labelled greatest football star in history
- Barcelona legend Carles Puyol made that statement about his former teammate
- The Argentine forward recently broke Pele's goal record during his side's 3-0 win over Valladolid
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Barcelona legend Carles Puyol has branded his former teammate Lionel Messi as the 'best footballer of all time'.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner became the first player to score 644 goals in all competitions for just one club.
Three-time World Cup Pele previously held the record having scored 643 goals for Santos between 1956 and 1974.
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Messi already equalled the 80-year-old record before the Catalans Spanish League clash against Real Valladolid and his 65th-minute strike in their 3-0 win ensured he surpassed the Brazilian.
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This is the 33-year-old's latest achievement since he made his debut in Espanyol in October 2004, while he also became the first player to win seven Pichichi awards in the history of La Liga.
Puyol who spent all his career from childhood says the Argentine will go down in history as football’s greatest player. He told Goal:
“If you ask me who Michael Jordan is, I will say that he is the best basketball player in history.
“I think Messi will have the same status – the best footballer of all time. It is also talked about whether Michael Jordan is the best in history, and these are opinions, and sometimes it is difficult to be objective. It is difficult for a Real Madrid fan to recognise that Messi is the best.
“We have been lucky to have him but I really say, taking away the feeling of being a Cule, that the numbers are there, these have not been invented and they show that he is the best.”
Puyol continued:
“Now, we say no, but hopefully in the future, there will be someone better. For football and sport lovers, it would be good because we would see incredible things.
“I see it being difficult, if not impossible, for someone to be at that level for so many years but we will have to wait and, for now, enjoy Leo.”
The former Spanish national team captain recounted his experience playing along with the 33-year-old at Camp Nou, he said:
“Firstly, I have been very fortunate to be able to play with him and with this generation of footballers and to have done so with the team of my heart. I am very proud of the work we did together.
“The beginning of my career was difficult because I went five years without winning anything, but then we managed to win it all and, to this day, we are the only club that has won six titles in the same year.
“I continue to trust that a Barcelona led by Leo will continue to win titles. I don’t know if he has much more to achieve. He still has to win a title with the national team.
“I am not Argentine but I would be excited for him because I think he deserves it and I know he really wants to do it.
“At Barcelona, he has already beaten all the records and I don’t know if there will be anyone who can fight with him in the future because he has set the bar very high.”
Legit.ng earlier reported Lionel Messi reached another major milestone in his illustrious career after becoming the only player to score 644 goals for just one club.
The 33-year-old shattered Pele's record after scoring in Barcelona's 3-0 triumph over Real Valladolid at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla earlier this week.
He achieved the feat in 749 appearances across all competitions since he broke into the Catalans' first team over 15 years ago.
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Source: Legit.ng
