Champion League
‘He’s from a different planet’ – Obi Mikel compares Messi with Ronaldo
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Former Nigeria captain, John Obi Mikel has described Argentine star, Lionel Messi as a player from another planet.
Both players have met at U-20, U-23, and senior national team levels as well as when Mikel was playing for the English Premier League (EPL) side, Chelsea FC.
Mikel recently named former Barcelona captain Messi as the best player he has ever played against during his professional football career.
While trying to compare Messi with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mikel spoke on how difficult playing against the Argentine.
“I really don’t see the comparison in some way because I see Messi from a different planet. I think he is that good,” the Nigerian told Radio Five.
“When you play against United and when Cristiano was there and he has to play against Barcelona. Oh my God! The training the whole week was about Messi. We have to have two field players with him. He can’t defend 1 vs 1 against Messi. It’s impossible.
“The way they played and moved the ball around. The sole purpose was getting the ball to him.
Once that ball gets to him, everybody is moving and running.
“It’s so difficult the way he touches the ball. He is just for me another comparison there because I have played against both and Messi was very close to me when we did play against them.
“The game plan was just to kick him and get him off the ball. You can’t get close enough because you think he is there the he is gone.”
Mikel Obi played against Messi on several occasions both at the national team level against Argentina and Chelsea against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.
Asked to name the best player he has played against, the former Nigerian international named Messi, adding that the Inter Miami captain is from a different planet.
“When we [Chelsea FC] played against him, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Micheal Essien, and every player are tackling him. That’s the only way we could stop him.”
