The former Italy defender says he could see the Argentine was "in another league" when he arrived at Barcelona in 2006
Former Juventus, AC Milan and Barcelona defender Gianluca Zambrotta says both Lionel Messi andCristiano Ronaldo are "extraordinary players", but believes his former team-mate is more charismatic than the Real Madrid forward.
Zambrotta spent two seasons at Camp Nou between 2006 and 2008 and admits he knew instantly that Messi was something special.
"I arrived in Barcelona in 2006 and Messi was still young," he told Goal at the Eracle Sports Centre in Como. "But his talent was immediately clear, he was in another league - he was already effective and decisive. He is very simple as a person and effective on the pitch."
The World Cup-winning defender also admires the talents of Ronaldo, but believes Messi plays with a charisma comparable to Argentina legend Diego Maradona.
"Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both extraordinary players," he said. "They are able to score 60 to 70 goals per season each. However, they’re pretty different from each other, with different skills and characteristics. Probably Messi is more a player that can solve a game at any time. Ronaldo does as well, but Messi has more of the charisma of Maradona, in my opinion."
Zambrotta, who won only the Supercopa de Espana in his time at Barca, hopes the Catalan club will win La Liga this season but says he will also be content if his former coach Carlo Ancelotti can claim the title with Real.
"It will be a great fight with Real, Barca and Atletico," he said. "I support Barcelona, I played there two years, but on the other hand I’d be glad for Ancelotti if Real Madrid won.
"Ancelotti is a good coach and he has always brought results wherever he has worked. In Madrid he is working with a very strong team, but he has proved he has a special relationship with the Champions League. He’s a great coach also in the way he handles the dressing room, with all those great champions."
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