World Cup 2014 Predictions Thread - Page 6

Fabio Capello

"Christiano knows English, Messi knows football"

Diego Maradona

"I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius and he can become an even better player."

"His potential is limitless and I think he's got everything it takes to become Argentina's greatest player."

"Messi I think is like me, he is the best in the world along with Ronaldinho."

Frank Rijkaard

"He's a unique player and he deserves it, because he can do things of almost imperceptible excellence and is a gem to watch."

" Leo's goals are works of art."

Johann Cruyff

"He deserves ten out of ten for doing what he does. He is a sensation, but still he can improve. He must know when to move the ball on quickly and when to try the impossible mission. When he learns this, he won't win a single Golden Ball, but an entire collection."

Carlos Tevez

"His speed is astonishing. It's amazing how he can go 1 to 100 in just one second. I'm constantly around great players like Cristiano and Rooney, But this guy is just a step up above every other great footballer out there at the moment, Not only is he quick, determined, and extremely intelligent on the ball, but his movement off the ball is just as fantastic - unbelievable to sum it up in a word."

Juan Sebastian Veron

"I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates. We must protect him. I'd personally put him in a drawer of my bedside table."

Gilberto

"Messi's plaudits are hard to accept, we play in other countries and we do not see the local fans supporting our players there. Over 40 thousand Brazilians applauded, and that's hard for who is on the field. When I see them applauding Messi I get annoyed."

Julio Grondona

"Without Messi there isn't a team for Argentina, Messi is brilliant, different, with a strong mentality. Let's hope he doesn't change."

Jose Mourinho

"The best way to stop Messi is when you play with 11 men and then you can double mark him, one player to stay on him and the other to help out. If it is 11 against 10 then you have almost no chance of stopping him."

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

"Nobody was so wonderful at 19 years, neither Pele nor Maradona."

Fernando Gago

"For me, the best in the world is Messi because of the way he plays, moves with the ball and changes matches, Messi has incredible ability and I love the way that he plays."

"Messi is the best player in the world by some way, I always thank God that he is an Argentine, not just as a player, but as a person too. I have known him since I was 18, he is incredible, a very good person and we are very good friends. Right now, he is at another club, and we have a little bit of a rivalry, but the friendship is larger and stronger."

Theirry Henry

"I have the possibility to watch Messi in training each morning, and because of what he demonstrates he is the best player in the world, he stated during a press conference. It is a pleasure to watch him, and because of the way he plays he is an undisputed leader of the Barcelona team."

"What Leo does is so incredible that I have to be careful not to stand still watching him make his moves."

Antonio Cassano

"Ronaldinho is better than Cristiano Ronaldo, but neither are as good as Leo Messi."

Sergio Aguero

"Nowadays, Messi is better than Ronaldinho. He is the best footballer in the world right now. And I'm not the only who says so. Everyone who has seen him play says so too."

Pele

"I knew when we gave Kaka the FIFA World Player of the Year award that he (messi) would become the best player in the world. With young people like him we need patience and that is the problem we have in Brazil."

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva( Brazilian president)

"When I see Messi - who is the best player in the world in my opinion - lose the ball, he runs off until he gets it back or commits a foul. Our guys lose the ball and fold their arms."

Juan Laporta

"This year at Barcelona team spirit is dominating but players like Messi show there is individuality too. He is a virtuoso player who is determined and fast with the ball at his feet...he is a mixture of Maradona and Cruyff."

Carles Puyol

"He is a spectacular player, there is nobody else like him. I should not because I have suffered so much in training. I think he is the best forward at the moment and I think he will be so for many more years. He has his feet on the ground."

Cesc Fabregas

"He has a great future if he can stay clear of injuries. For me, he is the best there is."

Ronaldinho

"Every time he plays, Leo Messi reminds me more of Maradona, both left-footed and short, Messi is the best player in the world, along with Kak and Cristiano Ronaldo. For us it is not a surprise. Since he began to come and train with us and we knew we would go down this path. Someday I will explain that I was at the birth of one of the footballing greats: Leo Messi."

Txiki Begiristain

"He is priceless. Right now, in Messi, Barcelona has the best soccer player on planet Earth."

Marcello Lippi

"The best? Messi"

Daniel Alves

"Lionel Messi? When I played against him at Sevilla it was always very difficult, so now I'm pleased that we're on the same side. He's just fantastic."

Mikel Arteta

"It is as if someone commands him from the stands, like a video game. I have never seen a human run with the ball at that speed. I have not seen Maradona so I cannot compare, but Messi is simply unbeatable."

Raul

"The other day I saw one of his games. He was running with the ball at a hundred percent full speed, I don't know how many touches he took, maybe five or six, but the ball was glued to his foot. It's practically impossible!"

Xavi

"It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind."

Johnny Heitinga

"I believe that I played well against Barcelona, the problem was that Lionel Messi was simply unstoppable."

Arsene Wenger

"He's like a PlayStation"