Who was the best footballer in history? Lionel Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? Or maybe someone else? That's a question fansjournalists and experts have been asking themselves and arguing about one choice for years. Although most today bet on either Messi or Ronaldo, older fans look at this issue differently.
He did this, among others. Hugo Gatti. He is a former Argentinian footballer who played in 1966-1977 frame national 18 matches. In 1982, Gatti, now 80, was voted the best player in Argentina. With Boca Juniors he won three national championships and won the Copa Libertadores twice.
Interestingly, according to Gatti, the best footballer in history was neither Messi, nor Ronaldo, nor even Diego Maradona. The 80-year-old chose Pele. He also put former football legends behind his back. He talked about it in an interview with the Argentine media.
“Messi had it really easy”
– Without a doubt, Pele was the best. Right behind him was Alfredo Di Stefano and then Johan Cruijff, who was absolutely phenomenal. I would put Maradona in fourth place. Messi was far behind them, Gatti said.
– I wish it were different, I have nothing against Messi. I don't want to deny his merits, but he had it really easy. I saw him in Barcelona. Any touch was considered a foul. His rivals stopped touching him and the whole team played under him, Gatti continued.
– I value Zinedine Zidane and the Brazilian Ronaldo more than Messi. He was a brilliant striker. I remember after the 2002 World Championships, someone asked him why he didn't train harder and take better care of himself. With disarming honesty, he replied that he already had hundreds of millions of dollars in his account, the Argentine recalled.
– Roberto Carlos was also excellent. Brazil had so many great players and we don't like them… We are idiots! – Gatti concluded unexpectedly.