Back in February, former AC Milan centre-back Alessandro Costacurta recalled the day he faced a young Lionel Messi in a game against Barcelona.
Comparing the Argentine with Diego Maradona, the former Italy international has stressed that the two have various similarities.
"I have been lucky to play against both Messi and Diego," Costacurta told Sky Italia.
"Maradona could be fouled 66 times before [the opposition player would be] warned.
"With Leo it is different, it is something else now.
"They are similar in genius terms and in the way they express themselves on the pitch, but Messi is cooler than Maradona.
"At the time [I faced him], Messi was 16 years old and at first I took him to be a child and did what I wanted.
"But then, after a quarter of an hour, I asked [Milan coach Carlo] Ancelotti to sub me off."
D_Kop
586
D only thing Messi can't do is defending he is everything in football
Leomessi10goat
567
Born to be GOAT.
ADAMKawtharani
523
Goat for MANY reasons
kelvinonyeka
420
He is the king of kings
Ash173
416
if he said like that imagine what boateng was thinking when he was put to bed by messi[Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
rimbkmnr
398
Why is it that all competitors that come against messi either asked to be sub off or they quickly move to another league to avoid messi shadow? The Lion don't roam around to proof he is the king of the jungle but animals run away when they notice the lion's presence. Messi is the supreme football leader ,he is the goat.
Ashmuth
317
pep :I tried to make messi the best player but he ended making me best manager
Vowcilt
306
most of the players say the same abt MESSI
Sirhan
223
what Messi is to defenders is what corruption is to our government, both can't be stopped !!!
lolisenpai
174
A child who fell in a pot of magic🔥 My GOAT
tobcoleman
138
I agree with him, messi is just a gift from God
wizbiklnry
97
I see ronaldo fans running their mouth like typewriter, calling the defender a coward, but they forgot that it is Madrid defenders who are cowards for turning football into boxing and teakwando anytime they see messi, upon that they couldn't stop him from destroying them, from Ramos to Marcelo, Pepe, casemiro, Aberloa, carvaljarl, Varane and even ronaldo etc.