Lionel Messi declares Real Madrid as the best team in the world

By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Jun 7, 2024, 10:32 PM IST

In a candid interview, football legend Lionel Messi acknowledged Real Madrid as the top team globally, citing their recent Champions League triumphs and consistent success. While praising Manchester City's playing style under Pep Guardiola, Messi emphasised that Real Madrid's results make them unrivalled.

Former Barcelona captain and football legend Lionel Messi acknowledged that Real Madrid currently stands as the best team in the world, in a recent interview with Infobae.

Messi, now playing for MLS side Inter Miami, praised Real Madrid's recent successes, particularly their triumphs in the UEFA Champions League, cementing their place at the top.

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Despite his long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid, Messi also highlighted Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City as a formidable team, especially in terms of playing style. However, he emphasized that based on results, Real Madrid takes the crown.

“The best team, if we have to say, is Madrid, because they are the last Champions League champions. In recent years, they have consistently won... although City won the last one, Madrid had won the previous ones,” Messi remarked.

Continuing, he added: “If you talk about results, it’s Madrid; if you talk about the way they play, I personally like Guardiola’s City. I think that every team where Guardiola is involved is special because of his coaching and the way he makes his teams play. For me, City are the best in terms of play, but Madrid are the best in terms of results.”

Messi's admission is significant, given his historic rivalry with Real Madrid during his time at Barcelona, which he left in 2021.

Real Madrid recently enjoyed a stellar season, securing the La Liga title, the Spanish Super Cup, and their 15th UEFA Champions League trophy. With the addition of Kylian Mbappe to their roster, further success is anticipated at the Santiago Bernabeu in the coming years.

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