- The Liverpool star has named his top pick as the greatest football player of all time
- Trent Alexander-Arnold praised Lionel Messi’s extraordinary skill and ability
- The Argentine recently lifted the Copa América title after beating Colombia.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has hailed Lionel Messi as the greatest player to “ever play the game” after praising the Argentine’s legendary impact on football.
The Liverpool star is currently on an extended summer break following the disappointment of England’s Euro 2024 final and will return at a later date for pre-season training.
However, he was still offering his verdict on one of football’s biggest debates when Alexander-Arnold was asked about the best player he has ever faced in an interview with Mirror.
The 25-year-old has faced some of today’s greats during his trophy-laden career at Anfield, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but he reserved special praise for Messi.
Alexander-Arnold was at the centre of Messi’s Champions League failure with Barcelona in 2019, when Liverpool pulled off a stunning 4-0 comeback to knock the Catalan giants out of the competition.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has praised Lionel Messi as the best player to “ever play the game”
Messi recently added another major title to his list of achievements after winning the Copa América with Argentina.
Messi had already been on Alexander-Arnold’s bench when the Argentine was at Barcelona in 2019.
Now he has given a taste of what it is like to play against Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain and has placed him above Ronaldo as the best in football.
“For me it has to be Messi. I think he’s the best player to ever play the game. I’ve never seen Maradonna,” Alexander-Arnold said.
‘Imagining someone better than what I’ve seen, my brain doesn’t understand it. There’s no way someone can be better than Messi.
‘There’s a different feeling playing against him than I’ve ever felt against anyone else, you’re always on red alert when the ball is near him, it’s very rare for a player to transmit that feeling to other players.
“There are many, many aspects of the game where he is probably the best,” he added.
Alexander-Arnold dissed Cristiano Ronaldo by naming Messi as the best talent in football
Alexander-Arnold is currently on an extended summer break ahead of the start of the new season.
Messi recently added another title to his trophy cabinet by guiding Argentina to a second consecutive Copa America title, but suffered a serious ankle injury during the final.
Despite his affinity for Messi, Alexander-Arnold could soon find himself starring at a club where many believe Ronaldo is the best player in world football.
Real Madrid are interested in reaching a possible deal with the Liverpool defender, who could be attracted by the chance to link up with his England team-mate and close friend Jude Bellingham.
Alexander-Arnold has one year left on his contract at Anfield and is yet to sign a new deal.