Messi makes GOAT admission to Zidane, opens up on how France legend made him suffer

Lionel Messi has lauded Zinedine Zidane as one of the all-time greats in football, acknowledging the French maestro's impact on the sport while candidly recounting the challenges he faced during his tenure at Barcelona against him.

Despite Barcelona's intense rivalry with Real Madrid, Messi expressed his genuine appreciation for Zidane's ability to dictate the pace of games and create iconic moments for the Spanish club and football enthusiasts worldwide.

According to GOAL, Messi revealed these sentiments during a heartfelt conversation with the former France and Real Madrid legend, who visited Florida to meet with Inter Miami.

Messi names Zidane as GOAT

Alongside expressing his admiration for the 1998 World Cup victor, Messi bestowed upon the Frenchman the accolade of being one of the "greatest footballers of all time," emphasizing his long-standing admiration for Zidane's prowess on the field.

“Zidane is one of the greatest in history. I always liked him," the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient said, as cited by Madrid Zone.
Furthermore, the 36-year-old didn't hesitate to recall the difficulties he encountered during the fierce El Clasico encounters with Zidane's Real Madrid, further underscoring the competitive intensity between the two football powerhouses.

"I followed him a lot in Madrid, and I suffered a lot, too, because I was in Barcelona. I remember the Madrid era of the Galacticos, the European Cups that they won.”

Zidane vs Messi

Zidane represented Los Blancos from 2001 to 2006, while Messi began his professional journey with Barcelona in 2004, accumulating a remarkable 17-year tenure at the club.

Their paths crossed in the El Clasico clash in 2005, with Messi later encountering Zidane frequently as a coach. The 51-year-old served as the manager of Real Madrid from 2019 to 2021.