AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini has revealed his exclusive list of the greatest footballers he has ever seen. The 54-year-old reserved spots for some of the game's greats, including Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazario and Diego Maradona.
Paolo Maldini, touted as one of the finest defenders of all time, has mentioned Diego Maradona and two other football legends as the greatest players he has ever seen.
The iconic Italian came face to face with some of the game's biggest names in a playing career which lasted almost three decades.
The AC Milan legend played against the enigmatic Argentine playmaker Diego Armando Maradona, three-time World Footballer of the Year Ronaldo Nazario, silky Brazilian Ronaldinho and 1998 World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane to mention a few.
When asked to name the finest footballer(s) he has seen, Maldini widened his scope of the greatest of all-time preferences to include Diego Maradona and Ronaldo Nazario, two players he often faced during their stints with Napoli and Inter Milan, respectively, GOAL reports.
He also included seven-time Ballon d'Or winner and reigning FIFA The Best Men's Player, Lionel Messi, despite never crossing paths with him.
"The three greatest players I saw in my career were Messi, Maradona and him [Ronaldo Nazario]," Paolo said via Tribuna in a documentary about Ronaldo Nazario, O Fenomeno.
Interesting absentees In an attempt to name Ronaldo Nazario, Messi and Maradona in his GOAT list, the 54-year-old had to painstakingly leave out some of the game's greatest achievers.
Legendary Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento, affectionately called Pele, who passed on last December after a long battle with cancer, and Ronaldinho were conspicuously absent. Not forgetting Zinedine Zidane and Lionel Messi's fiercest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, failed to make Maldini's illustrious list.
The_Truth
587
Paolo Maldini - One of the best defenders to ever play this beautiful game. He picked Lionel Messi - The Greatest Of All Time. As a defender, he knows what is to face attackers and being the best in that, and to pick Messi is something great. Given that he has faced great opponents, it's a great thing. Messi always makes the list. Still, he is a very down to earth person, which makes him even better.
Champion88
557
Greatest of all time 🔥🔥🔥🔥
takdlmnrsy
431
The greatest players perform in the world cup and win it. Once again cr7 has been left out by a football legend. The social media legends will now make a case for him
Gudiest
316
Ronaldo has been added to the goat 🐐 statue
Alfredkoiyan
253
and hater will say he don't know anything about football
LEXYJR88
164
📢📢Khelaifi : We will let Messi leave for Barcelona as we still regret signing him over Ronaldo. He (cr7) would have won us Champions League till now