Lionel Messi has a strong understanding of what separates the very best players from the rest, and his eight Ballon d'Or titles underline that better than most. Across more than two decades as a professional, he has faced plenty of England's biggest football names. However, it is not Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane or Ashley Cole who the Argentine regards as the country's finest ever talent.
Instead, Messi – one of the greatest footballers in the history of the game – chose Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard as England's "greatest ever player."
Back in 2016, the Argentine superstar was discussing the Liverpool legend shortly after his retirement. He made it clear just how much he admired the midfielder, wishing him "a happy retirement" and saying:
“Personally, I think [Steven] Gerrard is England’s greatest-ever player."
Although he was not specifically weighing in on the famous Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes debate involving three of England's most celebrated midfielders, Messi's comments still make his preference for the Liverpool star over his former international teammates pretty clear.
The former Reds captain has a glittering list of individual honours to his name, having been selected in the PFA Team of the Year a record eight times and included in the FIFPRO World 11 on three separate occasions. That is the second-highest tally of any Englishman, behind only Chelsea great John Terry, who made the side five times. Gerrard was also named alongside Messi in UEFA's "Team of the Century", standing as the only English player included and one of just two members of the XI not to have represented either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Gerrard Feared Messi
Steven Gerrard
Gerrard, meanwhile, named Messi alongside Cristiano Ronaldo as the only two players he was ever "afraid" to play against. The pair met just twice during their long careers, facing one another in both legs of the 2006/07 Champions League last-16 tie. Liverpool progressed on that occasion, eliminating the Catalan giants on away goals after a 2-1 victory at the Camp Nou and a 1-0 defeat at Anfield. Messi did not find the net in either match.
Messi endured a similar outcome on his only other visit to Anfield, when Liverpool memorably wiped out a three-goal first-leg deficit in the 2019 Champions League semifinal to send Barcelona crashing out. The Merseyside outfit appeared to be among the few clubs capable of getting the better of Messi's star-packed Barca sides.
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Against English clubs outside of Liverpool, the Inter Miami star generally had little trouble leaving his mark, producing 27 goals and seven assists in 36 matches against Premier League opposition. What stands out is that, even with relatively few direct meetings against Gerrard, Messi still selected the Liverpool man as England's greatest. He shared a pitch with Frank Lampard on nine occasions and came up against Paul Scholes four times.
For all his admiration of Gerrard, Messi has surprisingly never faced England on the international stage. Argentina have not played the Three Lions at senior level since David Beckham's penalty earned Sven Goran Erikson's team a 1-0 victory at the 2002 World Cup. That match came three full years before Messi made his international debut. Their paths may yet finally cross at the 2026 World Cup in North America. ```