Gary Lineker Quotes

When I see Messi play, in my opinion, he should win the Ballon d'Or every year. He is an unbelievable player.

Ronaldo dominates this world, and Messi is above everything else.

Cristiano is one of the best players of all-time - there's no doubt about it.

An Ibra-Messi tandem would have been marvellous, but history decided otherwise.

Paolo Maldini never won, but he was the best defender in the world. Gianluigi Buffon never won; he was the best goalkeeper in the world for many years. But this is the story of the Ballon d'Or.

Messi is in a different world. He is the best player in world football, without any doubt.

For me, Messi is the greatest player in history, the greatest player I've ever seen.

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two players that, the way I see it, can have a spot amongst the best of all time.

Messi always plays at a sublime level. He's the best player in history.

I played with great teammates like Ronaldinho and Messi. I think they are two of the greatest players in the history of football.

I think now Messi is probably done more than most players. But he is in the same class as Alfredo de Stefano, Johan Cruyff, Pelé. When he finishes and he retires, he will automatically become one of them. A player that people will talk about forever, while the game of football is as good and as popular as it is. He is a sensational player.

Messi is on a different level. The fact he is doing what he is year after year says that he is the best of all time.

I wouldn’t swap Paul Scholes for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best.

This Guy (Messi) is the Best Player in the World, no doubt about that. I think we're always nervous about calling people who are currently playing, who are young at 23, to say he's the Best Player ever. But we shouldn't be. We should admit what we are seeing in front of our eyes. This is a special talent, who may be is the Best Player ever been seen.

I’d go for Scholesy as the club’s greatest ever player. I’ve seen him do things that no other player can do. The way he can control the tempo of games, and his range of passing, are both incredible. We’ve seen over the years that players just haven’t been able to get near him. And you can’t forget his goals either.

It doesn't matter where Messi plays, if it's cold or hot, he always proves that he's the best.

Messi doesn't have to do it in the Premier League to prove himself. The Champions League is the ultimate club competition. If he was in the Premier League, he'd be the best player by some distance.

Regular readers will know I'm a fan of (Cristiano) Ronaldo, and an even bigger fan of the man who's assumed his mantle with quite astonishing success, Wayne Rooney. But Messi is on a higher plain than even that pair.

Everybody has the clarity of telling I haven't seen a player like Lionel Messi, and I am fortunate for training and seeing him every day at the training field. And even sometimes he surprises you with some good performances. There is not comparison with other players I have seen along my life. He is unique.

For many years, Messi and Ronaldo will be the two best. After them, there is Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and others. I hope to be in the top ten.

He [Roger Federer] is the greatest natural talent in tennis I've ever seen. I love to watch the guy play, he's an awesome talent

You know, I'd actually say Lionel Messi. He's so remarkable, watching him play he's probably still undervalued. When you're scoring five goals in one Champions League match, there's no value that's too high.

I was a big fan of Maradona growing up and of the current crop Ronaldo is good but Messi is the best I’ve ever seen. I don’t dish out praise lightly but Messi deserves it. I look for weaknesses in his game and I can’t find them.

Messi's like a PlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make. He made the impossible possible. He has something exceptional. He has six or seven years in front of him, touchwood that nothing happens to him, and he can reach unbelievable levels.

If you're speaking of a fantasy player, then it has to be Leo Messi as he's so unpredictable. He's an absolute genius.