Messi Makes GOAT Admission to Zidane, Opens Up on How France Legend Made Him Suffer

• Lionel Messi has praised Zinedine Zidane as one of the all-time football greats
• The pair met during Zizou's trip to Florida to meet with Messi's Inter Miami side
• The two icons hold each other in high esteem as evidenced by recent comments

Lionel Messi has lauded Zinedine Zidane as one of the all-time greats in football, acknowledging the French maestro's impact on the sport while candidly recounting the challenges he faced against him during his tenure at Barcelona.

Despite the Catalan giants' intense rivalry with Real Madrid, Messi expressed his genuine appreciation for Zidane's ability to dictate the pace of games and create iconic moments for the Spanish club and football enthusiasts worldwide.

According to GOAL, Messi revealed these sentiments during a heartfelt conversation with the former France and Real Madrid legend, who visited Florida to meet with Inter Miami.

Who Zinedine Zidane picked between Messi and Ronaldo in GOAT debate

Football

Messi names Zidane as GOAT

Alongside expressing his admiration for the 1998 World Cup victor, Messi bestowed upon the Frenchman the accolade of being one of the 'greatest footballers of all time', expressing admiration for Zidane's prowess on the field.

"Zidane is one of the greatest in history. I always liked him," the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient said, as cited by Madrid Zone.

The 36-year-old also candidly recalled the difficulties he encountered during the fierce El Clasico encounters with Zidane's Real Madrid, further underscoring the competitive intensity between the two football powerhouses.

"I followed him a lot in Madrid, and I suffered a lot, too, because I was in Barcelona. I remember the Madrid era of the Galacticos, the European Cups that they won," the 2023 Ballon d'Or winner added.

Zidane vs Messi

Zidane represented Los Blancos from 2001 to 2006, while Messi began his professional journey with Barcelona in 2004, accumulating a remarkable 17-year tenure at the club.

1998 FIFA World Cup winner explains why Jude Bellingham is not as good as Zinedine Zidane

Football

Their paths crossed in El Clasico in 2005, with Messi later encountering Zidane frequently as a coach. The 51-year-old served as the manager of Real Madrid from 2019 to 2021.

Exciting news! We have a WhatsApp channel 🤩

➡️ Click to join our channel for all your favourite sports news.

Messi makes Zidane confession

Sports Brief also previously reported on Messi expressing admiration for Zidane, highlighting the intense respect they share despite having never played for the same team.

During a candid exchange between the celebrated figures, the Argentine conveyed his reverence for Zizou, hailing him as one of the 'premier greats' in the history of football.