Former Barcelona midfielder, Xavi Hernandez has praised Cristiano Ronaldo for his fantastic style of play but said Lionel Messi remains “the best player in history.”
Xavi noted that the Real Madrid star would likely get much more credit if his Barcelona rival, Messi were not around.
Ronaldo and Messi are regularly compared and always in the discussion over the greatest players of all-time.
However, Xavi, a former team-mate of Messi’s at Camp Nou, said Ronaldo deserved credit but feels the Portuguese attacker is caged by the Argentine.
He told A Bola TV “Cristiano Ronaldo is a born scorer, a spectacular footballer.
“The problem is that there is Messi, who for me is the best player in history.
“That is the only problem that Cristiano Ronaldo has, but he is a player who scores and continues to mark an era.”
Ronaldo’s Madrid are in Champions League action on Tuesday and will slug it out with city rivals, Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final.