Lionel Messi has fans all over the planet, even in countries that have a certain football rivalry with Argentina. Brazil, for example, has countless legends of its own, but that doesn’t prevent many from appreciating the Inter Miami player. In fact, even other Brazilian colleagues have confessed their admiration for the 36-year-old.
In an interview with TyC Sports, Felipe Melo declared himself a fan of the former Barcelona player: “Messi doesn’t have the speed he had a few years ago, but he has much more vision of the game. Messi is still the best player in the world, it’s crazy, it’s impressive.”
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Felipe Melo believes Messi is still the best
“If he doesn’t have speed, he has other things much better than two, three, four, or five years ago. That’s why he won the Ballon d’Or so many times. With the ball at his feet, he is fantastic, but without the ball, he positions himself to see where the ball is going,” said the Fluminense reference.
As time goes by, the 40-year-old midfielder appreciates even more having celebrated a victory against Messi. In 2009, during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Felipe Melo played for Brazil in a 3-1 win over Argentina.
“I want my grandchildren to know that I played against Messi and was able to win the game,” said the Brazilian, who has a photo of that match against the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. “He is the best player I have seen play. If he doesn’t score, he makes you score three goals, that makes the difference, and that’s why people like to play with Messi.”
He also understands those who, even as Brazilians, want Argentina to triumph because of their number 10: “Messi is a global idol; it’s normal that there are Brazilians who root for Argentina because of him, just as there must be many Argentines who root for Neymar. I root for Brazil; I love my country.”
