Marcelo names who was tougher to face: Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi
Photo by Kaz Photography/Getty Images Marcelo enjoyed a unique career that allowed him to share the pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo and face Lionel Messi regularly. Few players experienced both perspectives at such a high level. The Brazilian first encountered Ronaldo as an opponent in a Brazil vs Portugal friendly in 2008, before becoming his teammate at Real Madrid for years of success.
Against Messi, Marcelo was tested repeatedly in competitive fixtures, including intense clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as international meetings between Brazil and Argentina. Marcelo says Lionel Messi was a tougher opponent than Cristiano Ronaldo Photo by Alejandro Rios/DeFodi Images via Getty Images Speaking with Romario in an interview, Marcelo was asked to choose between the two icons. The former Barcelona star questioned: “You faced Cristiano and Messi.
Who was more difficult to play against? ” “Messi. Messi is unbelievable, I’m still trying to catch him to this day,” Marcelo answered.
He explained what made the Argentine so difficult to defend, saying: “He understands all the positions on the field very well. When a guy passes the ball, he already knows where he has to go in, where he has to go out. ” The numbers underline the intensity of that rivalry.
Marcelo faced Messi 33 times during his career, more than any other opponent, recording 10 wins, 7 draws and 16 defeats. Despite picking Messi, Marcelo showed appreciation for both players’ greatness, as he stated: “I am grateful for that, I was able to live in the time of both of them. ” He added that playing in their era was a privilege, comparing it to previous generations who witnessed legends such as Romario himself, Ronaldo, Diego Armando Maradona and Pele.