Messi cannot succeed in England – Ferguson

Former Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has claimed that Lionel Messi would not succeed outside Spain.

The Scot also added that his former protege, Cristiano Ronaldo, would be fit into any league in the world.

Both players have won the last seven World Footballer of the Year prizes and are generally regarded as the best on the planet. But Ferguson says Ronaldo is a tougher character than Messi.

“Ronaldo is tough,” he told BBC Sport. “People say ‘who is the player in the world’ and plenty of people quite rightly say Messi. You can’t dispute that opinion.

“But the thing about Ronaldo… Ronaldo could play for Millwall, QPR, Doncaster Rovers or anyone and he’d score a hat-trick. I’m not sure Messi could do it.

“Ronaldo’s got two feet, he’s quick, he’s good in the air and he’s brave, though Messi’s brave too of course. I just think Messi is a Barcelona player.”

Ferguson also named Ronaldo, as one of the top three players he coached during his 26-year stint at Old Trafford.

“Ronaldo is the biggest improvement I ever had at Manchester United really because he came as a young skinny kid at 17,” he continued.

“And yes, he had stuff such as diving which people used to criticise him but, once he got out on the training field, he was fantastic.

“The most important thing for a great player is decision-making and that improved over Ronaldo’s time at old Trafford. Him and Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, you have to say, are the best three players I ever had. Bryan Robson and Roy Keane and Eric Cantona were great players, too, but not at their level.”

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