Marcelo on Messi: Toughest Rival Ever?

Marcelo on Messi has again raised the old time football debate, on the best rivals of the game. The ex-Real Madrid left-back came out openly to confess that Lionel Messi was the hardest player that he had ever played against in his career. This assertion is further made exceptional due to the fact that Marcelo had spent years playing with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Marcelo was honest and calm in explaining his reasoning. He claimed that Messi was so knowledgeable of each spot on the field that he was quite impossible to get past. Messi does not play his part, according to Marcelo. He reads the game as it goes on.

This observation explains the reason why defenders usually had difficulties dealing with the Argentine star. Messi’s movement is unpredictable. He may go deep, go far, or come straight up the middle. Marcelo pointed out that this flexibility compelled defenders to be always on the move and there was not much they could do about controlling it.

Although most fans would have thought that Marcelo would have chosen to support Ronaldo because they have a good relationship at Real Madrid, his response is professional. He was simply concerned with the challenge that each player posed on the field. In the case of Marcelo, Messi was not fast or strong, but the fact that he was intelligent and aware caused a greater problem.

This is another twist to the Messi vs Ronaldo debate. It demonstrates that the qualities that fans appreciate are often underrated by players who were in the direct confrontation with both the legends. The perception of the man is more tactical genius than brute strength, as seen by Marcelo.