Ex-Dutch footballer believes Lionel Messi is an anomaly

Updated on: 23 December,2015 08:29 AM IST |
IANS |

Retired Dutch footballer Edgar Davids believes that Barcelona's Argentine star Lionel Messi is "an anomaly" although he also emphasized the qualities of Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Madrid: Retired Dutch footballer Edgar Davids believes that Barcelona's Argentine star Lionel Messi is "an anomaly" although he also emphasized the qualities of Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lionel Messi. Pic/AFP

Davids was one of the commentators at the announcement of the finalists for the FIFA Ballon d'Or of 2015 last month, reports Efe.

"It's unbelievable what they have accomplished so far and still are accomplishing," Davids told FIFA official website on Tuesday with reference to both Messi and Ronaldo.

"I love Ronaldo, because he's amazing, he works so hard. If Messi is not sharp he's right there, prepared," Davids, who represented the Netherlands 74 times between 1994 and 2005, explained.

"If he's fit, most of the time it's Messi," noted 42-year-old Davids, whose favourite to be crowned at the Gala on January 11 in Zurich is quite clear.

"But he is an anomaly. The rest will have to wait until he falls off a little bit," the former Ajax, Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder pointed out with reference to the Argentinian star.

During his 23-year career, Davids played alongside some of the players who have been crowned with the FIFA Ballon d'Or, such as French Zinedine Zidane, Liberian George Weah and Brazilian Ronaldinho.