Former England striker Michael Owen has used Lionel Messi's opinion on the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool to defend his claim on who the better team is at the moment.
Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League final on May 28. The Reds dominated the match but could not find a way past Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgian ended the game with nine saves, while Vinicius Junior came up with the all-important goal for Los Blancos. In the post-match discussion, Owen pointed out that he felt Liverpool were still the best team in Europe despite losing the final.
"I still think they're the best team in Europe, I really do," Owen had told BT Sport after the match.
"On other occasions, they'd be getting their name etched in the trophy."
The former Reds forward's claim was met with a lot of criticism, with some suggesting that he was downplaying Real Madrid's achievement on the big night.
Lionel Messi has now come forward with his claim of what he thinks of Madrid's Champions League victory this season. Football Tweet on Twitter posted Lionel Messi's opinion:
"The best team doesn't always win. Real Madrid weren't the best team in Europe this season, without taking any credit from them, even though they are the Champions League winners."
Owen reshared the tweet with the caption:
"And I got ridiculed for saying this. Enough said."
Is Lionel Messi right to think Real Madrid are not the best team in Europe?
The opinion of a legendary player like Messi should always be considered. However, what must also be taken into account is the delicate connotation of the message he sent.
Messi, on no occasion, talks about Real Madrid being unworthy winners. He simply points to the fact that over the course of 90 minutes on the pitch, statistics displayed that Madrid were outplayed on the football pitch. This is also a parameter in seeing who the better team were.
Madrid's winning mentality persevered in the end. They won the match not because they were technically better or more fluent, but because they possess the know-how to beat teams in knockout games without having to outplay their opponents.
Messi's opinion should be taken for its exact word value instead of people using it to justify other claims like Liverpool were unlucky not to win or that the Reds are the best team on the continent.
Lionel Messi, in his comments, did not for once mention that Liverpool are the best team in Europe. Owen might just have jumped on the bandwagon here to ratify his own opinion.
kmutize
509
we're thinking about winning 15th 😂😂😂😂while others still have pain Hala Hala Hala madris
21Legacy
253
Best team or not, Real Madrid won the cup. Anyone else who thinks that they don't deserve it should go cry in the corner
Yoddiknouy
235
if they are not the best team you could have score the penalty against them let appreciate them they are the best team right now
Fipabcei
211
Messi is just frustrated that Madrid is wining and his beloved Barcelona is not. Madrid won the league with 4 games to spare. So Messi is saying La Liga is not a good league whereas French league is good. Bunch of fools. Madrid won both La Liga and champions league and they’re not the best team. Liverpool never won anything from open play only on penalties and they’re the best Wow !!!! How stupid can that be
OluluMadrid
66
Yeah OWEN and MESSI you are right we are not the best team in EUROPE we are the BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD
Rieeilmnrz
55
Madrid is the only team that beat four best team in the EPL what are you saying any body that says Liverpool is the best i think they are out of sense
madrid_dna
53
footballers and their promises
Vendiknprt
20
Messi don't understand English as primary language. What is meaning of being the best ? Owen, Check English dictionary. Meaning "excelling all others". Don't go about it contrarily to suit yourself.In football games, principles every coaches analysis strength, weaknesses opportunities and treats in matches, at the end of the games, whosoever maximize their analysis is the best by results. Blindness attack, attacks without result is not the best but slow and steady always win the raise. The winners can never be considered as loosers. Only the winners are celebrated. Michael Owen is trying to write unacceptable law. Football fans hardly expect Messi to praise Real Madrid, so his statement is a disgrace meaning 7 balloons D'or doesn't qualified him as a great footballer ? A club that defeated Messi and co in PSG, Chelsea, City, and Owens favourite Liverpool is considered failures by the loosers supporters is purely due to human mental attitudinal factors of both Messi and Owen. Congratulations 🎉 to Real Madrid this time, you proved everybody wrong. Your victory is well deserved because defeated the pretenders, You are the best.