Players Rated Ahead of Messi in GOAT Debate: Including Barcelona Legend Deco

• Former Barcelona midfielder Deco has had his say on Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo
• According to the Portuguese legend, Ronaldinho is more talented than both of the veterans
• Deco played with both Messi and Ronaldinho at a club level and with Ronaldo for Portugal

Legendary Barcelona midfielder, Anderson Luís de Souza - commonly known as Deco - has rated Ronaldinho as more talented than Al-Nassr star, Cristiano Ronaldo and PSG icon, Lionel Messi.

Deco signed a four-year deal with Barcelona in 2004 for a fee around the region of €15-million.

He played together with Ronaldinho and Messi at Camp Nou, while conducting his international duty alongside Ronaldo with the Portugal national team.

But despite Messi and Ronaldo winning a combined 12 Ballon d'Or trophies in their illustrious careers, Deco has tipped Brazilian magician as the best player ever.

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"Ronaldinho was more talented than Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo," Deco said as reported by ESPN. "When we didn't know what to do, he would create chances to score."

Deco commented on Ronaldo being young, athletic and very competitive, while Messi worked hard to do what he did with the ball.

"...But what Ronaldinho had was completely natural; he had a special ability. Every time we gave him the ball, he would score a different type of goal."

Ronaldinho was crowned the FIFA Player of the Year twice and was adjudged the winner of the Ballon d'Or once.

His tenure at Barcelona is most remembered for when he got applauded by Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, after he scored in a 3-0 El Clasico victory.

Together with Deco, Ronaldinho won two La Liga titles and one Champions League crown, after beating Arsenal in the UCL final in 2006 under Frank Rijkaard.

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Players who don't rate Messi as GOAT

To this day, there are millions across the world that believe either is the best player to ever grace the beautiful game.

After Argentina's triumph in Qatar, a number of footballers offered their thoughts on the Messi and Ronaldo debate, saying the Barcelona legend is the GOAT. He lit up the football world with some mesmerising performances, becoming the best player at the tournament.

But it seems the big question on who deserves the GOAT crown remains unresolved.

It turns out that there are football legends who don’t think Messi is the greatest of all-time.

Delofeu rejects Messi as GOAT

Sports Brief earlier reported that former Barcelona winger, Gerard Deulofeu has picked legendary Brazil forward Ronaldinho as the greatest player of all time, ahead of Messi.

Deulofeu is a product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy and played 23 games across two stints at Spotify Camp Nou.

The 28-year-old played together with Messi when he made his first appearance for the senior side in 2011, before being loaned out to Everton two years later.