Lionel Messi weighed in on the longstanding debate surrounding Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Paul Scholes by revealing his opinion on who he considers the “greatest ever” English player.
Widely regarded as the “GOAT” (greatest of all time) in football, Messi is often compared to his rival Cristiano Ronaldo in discussions over the best player in the world.
- Lionel Messi didn’t hesitate when naming the most ‘magical’ teammate of his career
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However, this time the Argentine shared his views on another prominent football debate—identifying who he believes is the best English player in history…Continue Reading
At their peak, Gerrard, Lampard, and Scholes were among the top midfielders in Europe, and the discussion about who was superior has sparked nearly as much conversation as the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo.
Messi, though, subtly shared his thoughts on the matter back in 2016.
“Personally, I think [Steven] Gerrard is England’s greatest-ever player. I wish him a happy retirement,” said Messi after Gerrard’s decision to hang up his boots eight years ago.
Gerrard departed from Liverpool in 2015 and wrapped up his career with a one-season stay at MLS club LA Galaxy.
Similar to Messi, the former Liverpool captain was frequently selected for the World Team of the Year, highlighting the mutual admiration between the two players.
Lampard, on the other hand, had a short spell in the U.S. from 2015 to 2016 after a season at Manchester City. The Chelsea legend left the club in 2014 following a highly decorated career at Stamford Bridge.
Messi isn’t the first to weigh in on the Gerrard, Lampard, and Scholes debate, and he certainly won’t be the last. Pep Guardiola, Messi’s former coach at Barcelona, also shared his opinion when speaking with Rio Ferdinand on his podcast.
“All respect to Frank [Lampard], to Steven [Gerrard] but Paul Scholes is my favourite one,” Guardiola said in 2023.
“I love it. I think he had everything but the other two, come on, Frank and Steven Gerrard changed this… Paul Scholes is my favourite.”
