By Daily sports on February 12, 2021

Lionel Messi is the “perfect footballer”, according to Cesc Fabregas, who says he’s “thankful” that he got the chance to play alongside several of the world’s best.

Messi is currently in the middle of his 17th season at Barca, where he has enjoyed unprecedented success on both team and individual levels, winning four Champions League crowns and six Ballon d'Ors among a whole host of other major honours.

Fabregas, who was able to witness the Argentine’s talents up close at Camp Nou between 2011 and 2014, thinks his old team-mate has no equal in the modern game and says he will always see the 33-year-old as a source of inspiration.

The Monaco star paid tribute to Messi before also hailing Thierry Henry, Carles Puyol and John Terry when asked to describe his perfect footballer.

Fabregas also labelled himself as a master of the game when it comes to the art of passing, as he told reporters: “From all the players that I played with? I don’t really need to pick many, I will pick Lionel Messi and you have the perfect footballer right there. I don’t have to go that far.

“I would have the speed of Thierry Henry, the quality and intelligence of Messi, the heart of Carles Puyol or John Terry. The last pass, I don’'t think I will change that for anyone, I would stick to mine to be honest!

“That’s the kind of player I look up to. I like to look at the very, very best and I was thankful always that God gave me the opportunity to play with the very, very best for many years.”

Fabregas worked with Messi for three years at Barca, during which time they managed to win six trophies, including one league title and the Club World Cup.

In addition to scoring 42 goals in 151 games for the Blaugrana, Fabregas also recorded 50 assists, with a high percentage of those passes being finished off by his Argentine colleague.

The Spaniard helped to bring the best out of Messi in his first season at Camp Nou in 2011-12, which saw the diminutive magician become the first player in history to score over 70 goals in a single campaign. (Goal)

•PHOTO: Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi celebrating a goal for Barcelona 

Source Daily sports

Posted February 12, 2021

Ronaldo banned, fined £50k over phone incident

Rooney says Everton is no retirement home

Odey, Adetunji, Alhassan make 30 man Chan test...

Jessica Ennis-Hill: Great Britain heptathlete retires from athletics...

Hammers renew bid for Moffi

Aubameyang, others were damaging Arsenal – Arteta