English sports broadcaster and former professional footballer Gary Lineker has said no footballer compares to Leonel Messi because of the joy the Argentine national team captain brings into the game.
The debate on who the greatest footballer of all time is continues to make headlines but Lineker, the only player to have been the top goalscorer in England with three clubs: Leicester City, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, feels Messi is on another level.
"In my real footballing lifetime, it's between Messi and Maradona," Lineker told BBC.
Lineker who also played for Spanish giants Barcelona and won 80 cap for the Three Lions added: "It's mad really, there's so many great players we've had... Zidane, Cruyff, the two Ronaldo's. There's a list."
"But then suddenly you've got these two that play a game that the rest of us are not familiar with. For me, Messi is now indisputable."
"There are people that possibly compare the likes of Cristiano in terms of goalscoring, but in terms of the joy that they give you when you watch them, there's nobody that compares with Lionel Messi," Lineker, the two-time Footballer of the Year Award winner said.
36-year-old Messi has won all the available trophies with the 2022 World Cup gong considered the best of his trophy-laden career.
Messi who captains David Beckham-owned Inter Miami in the USA Major League Soccer, has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards and a record six European Golden Shoes.
His short stature gives him greater agility, allowing him to change direction more quickly and evade opposing tackles.
Despite being physically unimposing, he possesses significant upper-body strength, which, combined with his low centre of gravity and resulting balance, aids him in withstanding physical challenges from opponents.
His short, strong legs allow him to excel in short bursts of acceleration while his quick feet enable him to retain control of the ball when dribbling at speed.
His former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola once stated, "Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it."
Messi is predominantly a left-footed player.
