David Beckham hails Lionel Messi as the greatest – and insists Cristiano Ronaldo ‘is not at his level’

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

David Beckham has hailed Lionel Messi as the greatest player in the world and insists Cristiano Ronaldo “is not at his level”.

The Manchester United and England great, who played against Messi’s Barcelona in the Champions League while at Paris Saint-Germain, said that it is “impossible” that any player can come close to the Argentine’s talent.

“He [Messi] is alone in his class as a player, it is impossible that there is another like him,’ Beckham told Argentine publication Telam. “He, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not at his level, are both above the rest.”

Beckham, who is now the president of new MLS side Inter Miami, added: “We were leading [in the Champions League] before Messi came in, and once he came in, Barcelona scored.

“Although I enjoyed playing at that level at my age, I do not like to lose. Our team played well. In both matches, we did things we should be proud of.

“We didn’t lose against Barcelona, and that is something that should motivate us.”

Beckham is reportedly hoping to use his status to sign a number of experienced world-class players at Inter Miami, with Manchester City’s David Silva understood to be one who’s drawn interest in particular.