Fabio Capello, former manager of Real Madrid, shared his perspective on the ongoing Cristiano Ronaldo versus Lionel Messi debate. Capello, who coached Los Blancos during two stints, said that while Ronaldo is an excellent player, he falls short of being a genius compared to Messi.
Capello remarked, “Cristiano is a great player, a great goalscorer, he won titles and the Ballon d’Or, but he hasn’t been great like Messi. He’s a great footballer, but he’s not a genius.”
Furthermore, Capello weighed in on Lamine Yamal, a promising talent from Barcelona’s youth academy, asserting that the 16-year-old winger doesn’t measure up to Messi’s caliber.
The comparison between Lamine and Messi gained traction after Lamine’s remarkable performance against Tottenham Hotspur last summer, which contributed to Barcelona’s victory in a brief 10-minute appearance.
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Reflecting on Messi’s early days, Capello recalled encountering the Argentine prodigy during a match against Juventus in 2005. Impressed by Messi’s talent, Capello approached then-Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard, expressing his desire to loan Messi for the season.
Capello reminisced, “I discovered Messi at the Gamper and 20-25 minutes into the game I approached Rijkaard and asked him to loan him to me that season. He was a genius.”
Regarding Lamine Yamal, Capello acknowledged the youngster’s talent but emphasized that he lacks the genius exhibited by Messi, Pele, and Maradona.
Lamine Yamal made headlines with his debut for Barcelona’s first team against Real Betis in La Liga, becoming the youngest player to feature for the club since 15-year-old Armando Sagi in 1922.
In a recent match against Nashville SC in Major League Soccer, Messi surpassed a goal-scoring record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo, netting his 830th goal in just 1,056 games, 100 games fewer than Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 39, continues to demonstrate his prowess, scoring his 65th career hat trick in a match for Al-Nassr against Abha Club in the Saudi Pro League on April 2, 2024.