Baggio and Materazzi: The Best Players, "The Flea" and "The Phenomenon"

Italian legend Roberto Baggio believes that Argentine Lionel Messi is superior to his compatriot Diego Maradona and Brazilian Pelé, “thanks to what he has delivered over the course of 20 years,” while former Italian defender Marco Materazzi chose “the real Ronaldo.”

Baggio and Materazzi joined other football legends in a discussion about the game, including the selection of the greatest player of all time. The debate featured former Italy internationals and several global football icons, including Argentine Gabriel Batistuta and Brazilians Ronaldo and Romario.

When the conversation turned to the greatest player of all time, with Messi, Pelé, and Maradona in contention, Baggio said, “It is difficult to rank them, because we are talking about the essence of football. These three have always been at the top.”

Baggio added, “Even today, I would say Messi, for what he has delivered over 20 years, in terms of both quality and quantity. If I were forced to choose, I would name him, but we are talking about three exceptional players.”

On the other hand, Materazzi selected another player seated at the same table, stating, “I always say this: for me, it is (Ronaldo). Because of what he achieved while playing with a knee injury, and his ability to run at speeds of 150 kilometers per hour—something no one else has ever done.”

The former Italian defender added, “I belong to the baby-boomer generation, but when I watch his videos on YouTube and see what he was doing, in an era when defenders tackled with brute force, it feels as though he was an alien—and indeed, he was.”

Baggio participated in three World Cup editions, in 1990, 1994, and 1998, and famously missed a penalty in the final against Brazil, 32 years ago.