Ronaldo and Messi name the toughest defenders they have ever faced

Messi and Ronaldo are two of the greatest players of our generation and maybe the greatest of all times. They both have played in the best leagues with the best teams and have shown their class on different occasions. No one has ever and will ever match the records and standards they have set in the past decade or so.

Ronaldo started his career with Sporting Lisbon in his home country Portugal whereas Messi started his career at the club where he is still playing i.e Fc Barcelona. He was just 13 years when he was brought from his home country to the training academy of Barca youth players that are known as La Masia. He was not just trained here but was also treated with his growth hormone deficiency. He moved to the senior team when he was just 17 years old.

On the other hand, Ronaldo moved to Man United after playing one year at the senior level for Sporting. Sir Alex Ferguson signed him soon after Sporting’s win over United in a match in 2002. He was giving the number 7 at Manchester whereas he requested them to give him the same number 28 he used to wear at his old club.

Both of these players are living legends and are at the end of their careers. In their massive careers, they have faced some of the best defenders in the World and they have mesmerized them their trickery and skills. Cristiano and Messi both were asked about: “ who is the toughest defender they have ever faced?”

Both of them gave very strange and unexpected answers to these questions that nobody was expecting. Messi has played most of his career Barcelona in La Liga and Argentina. Everyone was expecting him to name one of the best defenders in La Liga in the past decade with the likes of Sergio Ramos or Diego Godin but his answer included neither of them. He named a very unlikely player about which most of us don’t know.

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Speaking to DAZN, the six times Ballon d'Or winner said that the toughest defender he faced is the Spanish right-back, Pablo Maffeo. Pablo Maffeo is a Spanish footballer who has not played a single game for the Spanish National side. He is on loan to Girona from a German club Stuttgart. Messi faced him when he was a full-time Girona player and Girona at that time was playing first division football in La Liga. Messi was impressed by his defending skills when he used to defend Messi in their clashes.




It was very surprising to see that one of the greatest player of all times snubbed the best defenders in La Liga with the likes of Sergio Ramos and Diego Godin. Messi has faced them many times and has had a lot of tough battles against these too. Barca's biggest rivals are Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid and Messi didn't choose a defender of these two instead he choose a defender from a team who is not even playing in La Liga. 

He said in his interview that, "Man marking by any defender in the World doesn't bother me, you know that there will be tough games someday and you have someone around you who has put a stranglehold on you. The truth is that it hasn't happened to me that often as it happens with other players and it also doesn't bother."

He added that "Pablo Maffeo of Girona was one of the best man markers I have ever seen. I have been tackled physically too much but I am not the one who always complains. I think kicks and physically hard tackles are a part of the game and that is the reason why it doesn't bother me."

Meanwhile, the same question was asked to the Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. He is the one who has played against so many sides and the reason is that he has played in four different leagues. He started his career for Sporting Lisbon and he is a product of the Sporting academy. Then he moved to Manchester United where he was made a star. He played for a span of six years in England and then he moved to Spain with one of the best teams in the World Real Madrid. He made several records and became the top scorer in Real Madrid's history. After playing nine years at Real, he is now playing for Juventus in Serie A.



He is in his answer to that question said that his toughest opponent was from Premier League in the form of Ashley Cole who is a former Arsenal and Chelsea man. He added " I have some really great battles with some great defenders and one the toughest of them was Ashley Cole. I had great battles with him is well, he doesn't give you the time you breathe and execute your move. When he was at his peak, it would have been very hard to face him. He was quick and powerful in his tackles. You always knew that it would never be an easy game when you are against the defender of his caliber."




Cristiano Ronaldo in his magnificent career has faced a lot of tough defenders. When used to play at Real, one of his toughest battles would have been with the Catalans Gerard Pique and Diego Godin from Atletico. He has also faced his current side with Real Madrid with so many times and Juve has the defensive duo of Georgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. One of the best goals of his career has came against Juventus in a quarter-final in his last season at Real. He has faced Sergio Ramos too when his National side used to face the Spanish National side. Even with the quality, they all possess still they were unable to satisfy Ronaldo to name them his toughest opponents.

Everyone will be shocked to hear about the interesting facts these two greats have revealed about their toughest defenders.