Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo named hardest players they've ever faced

Daily Mirror

17-05-2025

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have come up against some of the best defenders in the world but there are two players who stand out as the most difficult they've faced
Football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have spoken out about the toughest players they've had to face off against during their illustrious 20-year careers. These titans of the pitch have encountered their fair share of formidable opponents as they graced top-flight football.
Messi, now dazzling for Inter Miami, singled out a somewhat unexpected name tied to his spell in Barcelona – that of RCD Mallorca's right-back Pablo Maffeo.
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The Spanish player, who briefly featured for Manchester City before moving on loan to Girona, left a lasting impression on Messi when they squared off in 2017.
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In his first season in the prime league at just 20, Maffeo's robust marking of Messi during the match was notable even though he couldn't prevent the Catalan club from securing a 3-0 triumph. Three years down the line, Messi honoured Maffeo with high praise in an interview with DAZN, the Express reports.
"Pablo Maffeo, when he was at Girona, was the hardest defender I've ever faced," conceded Messi in a 2020 conversation. "I've never been one to complain. I believe that physical contact is part of football."
For Maffeo, 27, to earn such accolades from an icon like Messi was extraordinary. Reflecting on Messi's words, he shared with The Athletic: "It's the best recognition from the best player in history. We lost that game, but the experience will always mark my life."
Reflecting on his days as a dazzling right-winger before shining on the left at Real Madrid and transforming into a striker, Portugal skipper Ronaldo, 40, has faced a host of challenging opponents in his illustrious career.
Choosing his most formidable rival wasn't easy, but it was during his tenure with Manchester United that Ronaldo reminisced about one player he found particularly tough - Ashley Cole. Despite clashing 14 times and the Red Devils legend besting Cole in eight encounters, it was the gritty showdowns he remembered.
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Speaking to Coach Mag in 2016, Ronaldo confessed: "Over the years I had some great battles with Ashley Cole. He does not give you a second to breathe. He was such a tenacious player when he was at his peak, quick, tough in the tackle. You knew it would never be an easy game."
Cole, who squared off against Ronaldo while with Arsenal and Chelsea, held mutual respect for the Al-Nassr striker's all-round prowess and relentless drive to succeed. "He was willing to learn and adapt," said the former England left-back.
"He wanted to be the best player in the world and became a machine. He had everything. He could dribble, he could sprint behind, he could leap and jump and head a ball, he could go inside, he could go outside.
"So I say he always gave me nightmares, but you try to work each other out and we got the best of each other at times. Whenever I hear his name or see his face, I always think of when he made me do the splits!"
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