Lionel Messi is a player of the highest quality, and the Argentine magician is a role-model for a handful of players in the football world.
His achievements for Barca have not gone unnoticed during his career, and a lot of Catalan kids along with Barcelona related players and managers have sung his praises.
However, other football figures, not related to Los Cules, are also inclined to praise and admire the six-time Ballon d'Or winner. From Manchester United superstars to Real Madrid legends, the greatest players in the world have held their hands up and admitted their admiration for the winger. Let's see who they are.
- Diego Simeone
Diego 'El Cholo' Simeone is an outstanding coach that has achieved pretty much everything with Atletico Madrid and Argentina as a manager and as a player.
He is one of the few coaches that has beaten Messi in the La Liga marathon, winning the league once in 2014 at La Pulga's very own Camp Nou.
Nevertheless, in league play, the former Atleti legend has never beaten Leo ever since joining Los Rojiblancos.
When BBC (Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo) was assembled in the white side of Madrid, Simeone controversially stated that his fellow countryman was more dangerous than the three of them combined.
In 2015, he admitted that he did not celebrate Fernando Torres' opening strike against the Catalans because he saw Messi warming up, showing unconditional admiration to the Blaugrana star.
- Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba is a born winner, and his speech before facing a Messi-captained Argentina in the World Cup round of 16 showed that he does not fear anyone to achieve his goals.
However, the Manchester United midfielder has shown his admiration for Leo and Cristiano Ronaldo on multiple occasions. His words towards the two aliens have been kind, and the Argentine is the best of all for the World Cup winner.
Moreover, he has stated that he would like, at some point, becoming the Blaugrana captain's teammate and has never hidden his love for Messi's game.
The former Juve star was shocked when Leo scored a wonder goal against Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals and couldn't hide his shock in front of the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.
- Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero is Leo Messi's best friend in football, and the two stars have shown incredible prowess for club and country.
At the under 20 World Cup in 2005, the Argentina manager thought to make the two forwards roommates was a bright idea for Aguero to learn a lot due to Messi's experience in Europe.
Since then, the two friends have been inseparable and have learned a lot from each other ever since Sergio's best friend at the time, Emiliano Molina, died while the two of them were playing at the under 20 World Cup.
This event forged their friendship, and Aguero has gone from rags to riches, playing against his fellow countryman. In contrast, at Atletico Madrid and at Manchester City where he has shown impressive finishing consistently.
Messi has been one of Aguero's biggest role-models and best friends in his road to becoming one of the Premier League's legends.
- Eden Hazard
Before joining Real Madrid, Eden Hazard was asked on several occasions which player was better between Leo and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Belgian star has always responded that while Cristiano is a superb player, Messi is the best player in the world.
The Madrid star has never hidden his admiration for Messi and while at Chelsea has been honest about his preferences in football.
The Argentine has returned the compliments and has told the media that Eden faces unrealistic Cristiano Ronaldo comparisons upon his arrival in the Spanish capital.
It shows that the two of them think highly of each other, and Eden has stated on many occasions that he loves watching the Blaugrana superstar.
Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane is one of Liverpool's best players and was in contention to win the Ballon d'Or after winning the Champions League at the Argentinean's expense.
The Senegalese forward is Liverpool's top scorer this season and finished fourth in the 2019 Ballon d'Or rankings, in which he stated that his vote would go to La Pulga and not teammate Virgil Van Dijk.
Before the ceremony, the former Southampton winger admitted that if he lost the Ballon d'Or to Messi, he would have lost to the best player in the world. The La Masia graduate then criticized Jurgen Klopp's vote for Van Dijk and thought the German manager should have backed his winger, just like Leo did.
- Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon is one of the best keepers ever. Despite having one of the best trophy hauls in history, the Italian has fallen short of the Champions League multiple times, and once lost to Messi's Barcelona in their second treble-winning campaign.
Before that final, the veteran keeper hoped that Messi the alien would be human for the 90 minutes and not produce the magic he usually does.
Afterwards, he then felt the need to touch the Argentinean's cheek to make sure he was human.
The Italian thinks highly of Leo and has conceded many times that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner was the best player in the world.
- Diego Godin
Much like El Cholo, Diego Godin thinks highly of Messi due to his track record against Atleti.
The man who entered the Atletico Madrid hall of fame with the goal that won La Liga at Camp Nou has conceded that the magician is the best player he has ever played against and that Uruguay and Atleti must be at their best to stop the star.
According to the iconic defender, teams must defend insanely well to stop players of Leo's quality and sometimes there is not a lot one can do because they're so unpredictable.
- Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci is a big fan of Lionel Messi, much like fellow teammate Gianluigi Buffon.
In 2017, Leonardo was so thrilled to play against the winger that he felt the need to ask him for his shirt repeatedly during the first half and it took three attempts from teammate Giorgio Chiellini to get him back into the game.
He also thinks that Lionel is better than Ronaldo, even though the Portuguese legend is a complete player.
The Italian was in awe while facing Lionel, and he showed his admiration on and off the pitch.
- Joaquin Sanchez
Joaquin Sanchez is one of the oldest players in La Liga and has seen some world-beaters in his time in Spain and Italy.
However, he still feels like the Blaugrana man is the best to grace the pitches in La Liga. In an interview, he stated that the Barcelona legend's unpredictability was one of his most significant assets.
After every Messi masterclass against Betis, Joaquin always praises La Pulga and reiterates on what he feels when watching him.
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