Ex-Chelsea star John Obi Mikel settles Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate with blunt story from playing days
JOHN OBI MIKEL appears to have settled the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi debate once and for all.
Messi was recently crowned a Ballon d’Or winner for a record eighth time.
But in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s Messi and Ronaldo were the two most dominant players in world football.
However, Mikel revealed there was “no comparison” between the two when it came to playing against them.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, the former Chelsea star lifted the lid on how the Blues changed their tactics to deal with the pair.
He said: “When we played against [Manchester] United when Cristiano was there we knew Ash (Ashley Cole) would deal with him. He is capable of dealing with him.
“But everytime it was against Barcelona, of my god, training the whole week was about Messi.
“We have to have two-three players with him, you can’t defend one-v-one against him. It’s impossible. You’re dead.
“And the way they play, the way they move the ball around with the sole purpose of getting the ball to him and all he’s doing is watching the game.
“I know we all talk about how he walk’s around but it’s just to find the space.
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
“Once that ball gets to him, the movement everybody is running and moving, it’s so difficult [to play against].”
He continued: “The way he touches the ball, the way he passes.
“I know the comparison is there but because I’ve played against both and Messi was close to me when we played against them.
“But for me, and I’m not going to say miles because of what Cristiano has done as well, but for me I really don’t see the comparison.
“I just think Messi is from a different planet. I just think he is that good. The game plan was just to kick him because we can’t get the ball off him or get close enough.
“If you think he is there, he is gone. You can watch our games when we played them. JT (John Terry) is tackling, Frankie’s (Frank Lampard) tackling, I’m tackling, everybody’s putting in tackles.
“That’s the only way we could stop him.”
Mikel recently opened up on the second time his father was kidnapped before the biggest game of his life.
The 36-year-old also lifted the lid on how Sir Alex Ferguson tried to “brainwash” him after he had accidentally signed for Manchester United.