FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has revealed who the best English player he has ever faced is.
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The Argentine has played against some of England's biggest teams in the UEFA Champions League, coming up against top English players such as John Terry, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes, among others.
However, despite having gone up against those greats, Messi has insisted that Manchester United's Wayne Rooney is the English player who stands out the most.
"Over the years, we have faced many British teams in Europe and come up against many good players, but I have always had a big respect for Wayne Rooney," he told Coach Mag.
"He has played at the highest level for many years and is one of the special players of the generation."
Messi has played the Red Devils four times in competitive matches, scoring twice. Rooney, who joined United in 2004, recently equalled Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 249 goals for the English giants.
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Disclaimer: Coach Mag have since taken the interview off their website, stating: "It has come to our attention that the authenticity of this interview has been questioned. We have removed the interview while we investigate."
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