Only Way to Stop Messi is With a Gun Says Capello

“There’s no way to stop him, it’s impossible. You have to put a double mark on him.” (Source)

Marca Bestows Legend Status on Messi

Marca Director Eduardo Linda says that the Legend award is the first of many to come this year:

“Right now, Messi is the best player in the world. And, if there is no arbitral robbery, he is going to win the Balon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award,” said Inda during last night’s presentation in Barcelona’s Hotel Melia.

“The reason why he arrived at Barca for nothing is because of Rexach. The discovery of the player is just as commendable as his promotion to the first team. [Joan] Laporta foretold in 2005 that Leo would become the best player in the world. Most people just smiled at what seemed like a brag. But La Masia is undoubtedly the best youth system with the highest quality.”

“A lot of people know that he is the best player in the world but not many know that he has a foundation that does a lot of good things. He is a good person, a normal person, and you can’t put a price on that.” (Source)

Best Player in the World Shut Out by Chelsea

Rooney's Passes as Good as his Goals in United Comeback Versus Spurs

"Wayne Rooney scored twice and set up two others for Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov, who literally left his former team-mates on their knees when he tapped home 11 minutes from time." (Source)

Fabregas Scores Two and Makes Case for Best Player in the World Award

Fabregas 2 Middlesborough 0:

"The Gunners went ahead on 26 minutes. Nicklas Bendtner flicked the ball to Fabregas in the centre-circle, and the Arsenal captain immediately released Arshavin down the left. The Russian raced into the area before laying the ball back across into the path of the on-rushing Fabregas, who drilled his shot past Brad Jones, low in the far corner...on 67 minutes, the Gunners cut the visitors' defence open again. Arshavin stepped inside to find a square pass to Eboue, who slid the ball through into the path of Fabregas." (Source)

More Praise for Iniesta

Spain manager Vincente Del Bosque:

"Iniesta is a magnificent example of what a footballer should be," gushed Del Bosque. "He has great human qualities and I hope he does not lose them. He's also very disciplined and he's not limited to playing in one single position."

Iniesta on "the best":

"The emotion I get from the Nou Camp fans is one of the nicest sensations you can have as a player," said Iniesta. "So I'll try to return this love with my play on the field. A footballer's career is a continuous learning process. I must progress to be more complete. I am 25 years old and the best is yet to come." (Source)

Deco Thinks Chelsea Can Stop the Best Player in the World

“I was 17 when he started training with us,” he told the club’s official website.

“He is still young but now he is a fantastic player and at the moment everyone is saying he is the best player in the world – maybe [he is].

“His style is difficult to stop because he keeps the ball so close and he is small.

“We know this, but we have a good defence – for me, the best defence in the world – and we will see.” (Source)

Ballack Thinks Lampard is one of the Best Players in the World

Michael Ballack responded to Frank Lampard's ommission from the PFA Player of the Year shortlist:

"Frank is one of the best players in the world for sure and I don't think there are many players in the Premier League like him." (Source)

Making the case for Iniesta

Sulmaan Ahmad of Goal.com examines Eto'o statement that Iniesta and not Messi is the best player in the world and concludes:

"Many of the above are naturally gifted in ways Iniesta never will be - they will hit their heights and surpass the little Barca boy - but they will also have their weaker moments; and at present, Iniesta has a cast-iron case to be in contention for the Ballon d'Or, with only his other pale, shy and awkward-looking team-mate standing in his way.

The shame of the game is that he's unlikely to make the list because he hasn't been anointed as any kind of 'special one' by the mass media - his hype hasn't and probably never will spin out of all control and reason - and is thus he is a lot more likely to continue his incredible work in relative obscurity. Maybe it's for the better." (Source)

Eto'o says that Iniesta is the Best Player in the World

Our poll numbers show otherwise but after Barca took apart Sevilla the other day, Samuel Eto'o concluded that Andres Iniesta and not teammate Lionel Messi, is the Best Player in the World.

Here's what Eto'o said:

“Whenever Iniesta steps on to the pitch, he creates a spectacle. He is the best player in the world,” he told the club’s official website after the game. (Source)

This is not a new idea. Others have seen the quality of Iniesta before. He really could be the world's best player. But he's not a player that seems to get the plaudits needed for such a grand title.

Check this out:

Arshavin's Four Goals (Video)

Arshavin Scores 4 and Looks Like the Best Player in the World

Four goals at Anfield.

And to think he was a mid-season aquisition.

Not a bad bit of business by Arsene Wenger.

If he could sign centrebacks and keepers in the way he signs attacking players, he'd run out of room on his trophy shelf.

But let's not be bitter about Wenger here. Let's celebrate Arshavin's beautiful performance at Anfield today.

Hiddink Reflects on Messi's Beauty

He leads our best player poll by a large margin here in the month of April and Chelsea coach Gus Hiddink is wondering how he is going to deal with Messi's beauty with leftback Ashley Cole suspended:

"Well, Ashley is unfortunately suspended it is true and we will see. Messi is one of the most beautiful players in the world, very attractive but in these two games I hope he is not delivering and producing what he normally does but I have to think about how to do that. We still have a little bit of time." (Source)

Lampard's Best Season Ever?

Chelsea's Frank Lampard has started to move up in our poll and even he thinks he is having his best season:

''I think personally it has been my best season,'' said Lampard. ''Over the course of the season different things have cropped up, and as a group we've had some ups and downs, but I'm very pleased with the way I've been playing.

''Hopefully my thirties can be my best years. I'm more experienced, more aware of how to play the game and how to manage myself in between games." (Source)

Abidal Says Ribery is as Good as Messi

“He’s a player who’s at the same level as Messi, Henry and Eto’o… a player who can easily make a difference."

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Lampard says Messi is the Best Player in the World

"Losing Ashley is a huge blow. He has been absolutely outstanding this season,'' he said. "Lionel Messi is the best player in the world by some distance at the moment and will be on the right wing. If you wanted anyone to play against him it would be Ash."

> Info Source

Kaka Wants Gerrard at Milan

"A cycle is ending. The time has arrived to re-energise a group which has many players at the end of their contracts," the Brazil playmaker told Italy's Sky television on Wednesday.

"If it was up to me, I would take someone like Gerrard, who for me is a complete player and can play anywhere. I could see him fitting in really well at Milan," added Kaka, who almost joined Manchester City for a world record fee in January.

> Info Source

Best Player in the World puts United into Champions League Semi-Final with Best Goal Ever

"Ronaldo collected Anderson's short pass closer to the halfway line than the opposition goal.

Sensing a little trepidation in home ranks, Ronaldo let rip with a shot as brutally powerful as it was audacious in its intent.

Porto keeper Helton did not have a chance of keeping the ball out as it flashed past him to give United the start Ferguson could not have dreamed."

> Info Source

Henry Surprisingly Thinks Ronaldo is Better Than Teammate Messi

"First of all, you have to take into account that Leo [Messi] and Cristiano Ronaldo are different players," he told Record. "For sure they can play on any position from the midfield up, they both have extraordinary technique, but they are different.

"And, if Messi is scoring more goals nowadays, Ronaldo is a player that has scored more and topped the scoring charts last season.

"Then, the greatness of a player is measured by the titles he has helped his team conquer. Therefore, I have to recognise that Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Leo Messi."

Still, Henry praised Messi, whom he considers to be a player who "can make the difference at any moment".

"When Messi is playing well, he can do things that no-one else can.

"I honestly understand why there are those who compare him to Maradona but I repeat: at least right now, Cristiano Ronaldo is the best. In the future... we will see."

> Info Source

Xabi Thinks Messi is the Best Player in the World

"Every time we see Messi he shows something new, something better. For us it is very important to have him in the team. He is working very hard and he has an extraordinary talent. Right now, he is the best player in the world," he mused.

> Info Source

Messi Proves he is the Best Player in the World in Rout of Bayern

"The Catalans tore the visitors' defence apart with a flowing move and Eto'o set up Messi, who drilled a neat finish past Hans-Jorg Butt to open the floodgates.

And three minutes later, Messi returned the compliment as he slid a deadly ball into the path of Eto'o and the Cameroon striker clinically slotted past the helpless Butt."

> Info Source

Could Macheda One Day Become Il Miglior Giocatore Del Mondo ?

Well if he does Lazio president Claudio Lotito will not be a happy camper:

"It's unthinkable that a lad of 15 can be bought as if it was a cattle market." (Source)

Federico Macheda used to belong to Lazio.

Here's the goal seventeen-year-old Macheda scored at Old Trafford Sunday to lift United over Villa and back into the Premier League lead:

Torres Says Gerrard is the Best Player in the World

"Stevie has been getting a lot of praise from some of the best players in the world," added Torres.

"That is quite right because I think he is the best in the world. He is a great team player but he can also win a game on his own when maybe we are not playing so well.

"I would love to see him have a lot more success. I cannot think of a player I would rather be playing with.

> Info Source

Is Ronaldo a Wuss?

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt will visit Machester soon to talk to Cristiano Ronaldo:

"I'm going to tell Ronaldo to stop being such a wuss...I'd like to see more of Wayne Rooney's fight in Ronaldo. He has to be aggressive like Rooney, even if it gets him into trouble at first."

> Info Source

Is Ribery the Closest Thing to Messi?

The Telegraph's Duncan White:

"It is surely beyond even the most partisan Premier League enthusiast to deny that Lionel Messi is the best player in the world...What might prove harder to swallow is that English football cannot even lay claim to the next in line: that honour must go to Franck Ribery.
English football may have again dominated the Champions League this season but the best two players in European football will be doing extraordinary things with a football in the one tie that has no direct English interest: Wednesday night's match between Bayern Munich versus Barcelona. Messi versus Ribery will make thrilling viewing."

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John Terry Says Gerrard is one of the Best Players in the World

"He's one of the best players in the world, that's for sure," Terry said. "He's in great form at the minute. I'm sort of dreading going there to play him because he is different class.

"With the backbone Liverpool have got – Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres – what a spine that is! And Gerrard is the heartbeat of the team just like Frank Lampard is with Chelsea. It's going to be a big clash and we're thoroughly looking forward to it."


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Tevez: Messi and Ronaldo Are Only Players Who Can Win a Game on Their Own

"Sometimes [Ronaldo's] performances are almost from a different planet," he said.

"He is a truly special talent and the only other player who I think is on the same level as him today is my Argentinian team-mate Lionel Messi.

"He is at Barcelona now, but I think they could play very well together – they are the only men in football who can win a game on their own.

"They are complete because they are both superb dribblers who also have a very good eye for goal. I would love to have them both with me in the same team."

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Capello says Rooney is one of the Best Players in the World

''Rooney is one of the best players in the world,'' said Capello. ''He never played for the Under-21s. He jumped. Only the extra special players can do that.

''I remember when Sir Alex Ferguson bought him, I saw him at a UEFA meeting in Nyon. He said 'Fabio, I am crazy. I have just spent an awful lot of money on a very young player'.

''Now he is happy because he spent a lot of money on a very important player.''

''I don't know about goalkeeper but he could play anywhere else. But second striker is his best position because he is free,'' said Capello. ''He runs a lot but he also needs to touch the ball and be at the centre of the team's movement.''

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