Xavi claims Lionel Messi is better than Diego Maradona
Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has revealed his admiration for team-mate Lionel Messi, insisting that the Argentine is a better player than his compatriot Diego Maradona ever was.
Messi is the reigning European and FIFA World Player of the Year and is in the running to be named the World’s top player again this year after excelling with his club.
Xavi says that a player of Messi’s calibre is only unearthed once every half-century and claimed that if Argentina had won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Messi would have this year’s Ballon d’Or all but wrapped up.
The Spaniard told FIFA’s official website, "A player like him only comes around once every 50 years. The only reason the rest of us have any chance of winning this year is because the World Cup didn’t turn out too well for Argentina, because if it had, then
it [the FIFA Ballon d’Or] would be no contest.
"In my view, Leo is now even better than Maradona was. He’s going to be at the very top for many years to come, there’s nobody like him."
Unlike Messi, Maradona has tasted glory on the global stage, having helped his country to win the sport’s biggest prize at the 1986 World Cup. At just 23 years of age, however, Messi has plenty of time on his side to win the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Xavi has been playing through the pain barrier this season as he is suffering from tendonitis.
While the condition may cause him great discomfort, he played an important role in his side’s 5-0 home win over Sevilla on Saturday, 30 October. The 30-year-old has also been included in the squad to face Copenhagen on Tuesday.
"Before, the pain I had was unbearable, and now I feel a little discomfort. On Saturday, I could have played for more minutes, I found myself feeling very well. I was almost 100 per cent. We played a very complete match, with a much faster pace. We needed
that game. It’s what we all want. We are at just as high a level as in previous years."
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