Sports
Piers Morgan Names 4 Players Greater Than Lionel Messi in 21st Century
If you were to ask the average football fan who the best footballer of the 21st century is, you could bet your bottom dollar that the majority would pick Lionel Messi – but not Piers Morgan. He believes there are four footballers better than the Argentine.
Messi, now 38 and plying his trade for Inter Miami, has taken the world by storm since breaking his Barcelona duck in November 2003. He’s won a record eight Ballon d’Or and, thus, is widely recognised as one of the greatest to ever grace the turf.
ESPN have ranked the top 25 players of the 21st century and, in turn, have placed Rosario-born Messi at the top of the list. The record-setting icon was quickly followed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane and Luka Modric.
Between 5th and 25th – in ESPN’s list – are the likes of Kylian Mbappe, widely regarded as one of the best players in world football, Ronaldo Nazario (in 9th), Sergio Ramos (in 14th) and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney (in 22nd).
In response, Morgan – who has not shied away from admitting his affinity for the aforementioned Ronaldo over the years – offered his list of four players better than Messi, who somewhat ‘completed football’ in 2022 after winning the Qatar-based World Cup.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
As alluded to, Ronaldo is the best footballer of the 21st century in Morgan’s eyes. The Portuguese has been a talisman of the highest order throughout his career and has taken his goalscoring exploits to the Middle East for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
He made a name for himself while earning his corn at Portugal’s top-flight outfit Sporting CP and then Manchester United, when he arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2003 as the most exciting teenager in world football. What has followed is nothing short of the stuff of legend, isn’t it?
2. Ronaldo Nazario
Irrespective of how many injuries Ronaldo, commonly monikered R9, accrued throughout his career, he’s still recognised as one of the best to ever do it – he was potent in front of goal, dribbled in and out of defenders with relative ease and was the archetypal striker.
As alluded to, injuries to his knee prevented the centre-forward – commonly admired as one of Brazil’s greatest ever footballers – from hitting the heights. That said, his career is still envied by the masses, given his accolades from a team and individual perspective.
3. Thierry Henry
One-time World Cup winner Henry may be widely recognised as one of the best footballers to never win the Ballon d’Or, but Morgan’s decision to name him as the third-best player of the 21st century could be cited to his Arsenal allegiance. The Frenchman, who played for Arsenal, Barcelona, AS Monaco and New York Red Bulls throughout his career, plundered 360 goals and 168 assists in his 794-game career.
4. Ronaldinho
In Morgan’s fourth spot, one ahead of Messi is Ronaldinho. Formerly of Barcelona and AC Milan, the one-of-a-kind magician encapsulated everything joyous about the beautiful game: trickery, agility and creative nous. To put the Brazilian’s brilliance into perspective, he received a standing ovation from rival fans in the Santiago Bernabeu in 2005 after his dazzling display on Los Blancos’ soil.
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 06-11-25.
Barbara Paredes, the sister of Argentina star Leandro, has been caught launching into a bizarre rant about England after La Albiceleste were outfought and outclassed by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday night.
Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game in extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, with their opponents forced to rely on physicality, foul play and defensive dark arts just to stand even the slightest chance of reaching penalties. Across the 90 minutes of normal time, Lionel Messi and co. committed 26 fouls and failed to register a single shot on target – two unwanted records that summed up a deeply frustrating night for the South Americans.
However, if anything truly exposed Argentina’s lack of class, it was the ugly scenes that unfolded after the final whistle. While Spain’s players rushed towards each other, their families and supporters to celebrate a historic triumph, several members of the Argentina camp appeared to let emotions boil over.
Punches were thrown, tempers flared, and Paredes was seen grabbing Gavi by the throat before throwing him to the ground – a chaotic and shameful ending that made nearly everyone realise how classless they can be in the pursuit of glory.
Leandro Paredes’ Sister Launches Into Bizarre Rant Abotu England
Since the semi-final win against England, many Argentines have struggled to keep the Falkland Islands out of their minds, with the players celebrating that win with a banner claiming the British-owned territory is theirs, and countless chants being sang before, during, and after the dramatic 2-1 turnaround victory – all of which FIFA refused to investigate, despite calls to do so.
While Sunday’s final loss should refocus attention on Spain’s deserved victory or prompt an honest conversation about Argentina’s misconduct, Paredes’ sister has renewed hostility towards England by passionately telling reporters (watch below):
“Getting this far and beating England along the way meant everything to us. We might not have the fourth star, but we have the Falklands for ourselves.”
The Falklands had been a huge topic in the build-up to England’s semi-final defeat and rumbled on for days afterwards, following uproar over the banner held up by Argentina players. The UK government even chimed in, saying: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are.”
UK Government Could Take Unprecedented Action Against Argentine Players
According to the Mirror, Argentina’s Premier League stars could theoretically have their UK work visas revoked if their conduct is considered “not conducive to the public good”, with the Home Office holding the legal authority to do so. Nevertheless, legal expert Asma Bashir has described such an outcome as “highly unlikely”.
But that’s not to say La Albiceleste won’t get away with other issues they’ve been involved with throughout the tournament. They’ve managed to stay out of political trouble, but their aggression in the final is subject to an ongoing investigation, with a range of punishments being mapped out.
You scored
out of 20
Spain’s Gavi has spoken out after chaotic scenes following the 2026 World Cup final saw him physically involved with Argentina star Leandro Paredes.
The Barcelona ace was an unused substitute as Ferran Torres smashed in a 106th-minute winner for La Roja to add a second star to their badge. Argentina players and staff weren’t particularly happy at the full-time whistle, as several incidents threatened to overshadow Spain’s success on the pitch.
Nicolas Otamendi confronted Rodri, an Argentine coach struck Dani Olmo and Paredes and a teammate threw Gavi to the ground. FIFA have opened an investigation into the chaos that followed the final.
Gavi on Potential Punishment For Argentina’s Paredes
There have been calls for punishments across the board for Argentina. Several players and coaches will be nervously waiting to find out what the governing body decides to do. Some have called for the South Americans to be banned from the next World Cup over their actions.
A more likely scenario could see several players handed individual punishment, whether it be a suspension or a fine. However, Gavi doesn’t believe Paredes deserves to be banned, despite being physically assaulted by the 32-year-old.
Speaking after the game, the Spain No.9 claimed the post-match scenes weren’t appropriate for young viewers, but stated the Argentina players should escape sanctions (as translated by Spanish outlet SER):
“I don’t think they should be sanctioned. I understand it’s not a good image for the younger players, but football also has that violent side. Perhaps the most logical thing would be to send him off during the match. In the end, it’s all football.”
Paredes Ignored Fallout in World Cup Final Statement
It was initially reported and believed that Paredes was sent off during the incident. However, FIFA later confirmed that this was incorrect and the Boca Juniors man saw his red card ‘deleted’ from the record.
Paredes has since posted a statement on social media, where he thanked his nation’s supporters. But he failed to mention what happened after the match.
He wrote: “Today, I write with a heavy heart, having been unable to bring our country the joy it so richly deserves – but with a chest full of pride for having given everything we had and for flying our flag at the very top once again!
“It was an honour to be part of the best Argentine national team in history.”
After Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final, Lionel Messi has been dealt a further blow, with a little-known FIFA rule preventing him from returning to MLS action with Inter Miami for the next three weeks. The league is already back up and running, but it will have to make do without its biggest star for the time being.
The 39-year-old may have played his final World Cup match on Sunday night, with Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner proving the difference as La Roja claimed their second world title at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Unfortunately for Argentina, that was only half the story, as they have since come under heavy scrutiny for a series of ugly scenes that threatened to overshadow Spain’s triumph.
Enzo Fernandez became just the sixth player in the competition’s history to be sent off in a World Cup final, while La Albiceleste set two unwanted records by committing 26 fouls and failing to register a single shot on target in normal time.
Tempers then boiled over after the final whistle, with the likes of Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina throwing punches and grabbing opponents by the throat, as Messi distanced himself from brawls that ultimately left a sour taste on what had been a questionable run to the final in the first place.
Why Lionel Messi Can’t Play in MLS for Three Weeks After World Cup Loss
Tears flowed for Messi at full-time, and he now has a long time to reflect on his international career’s past, present, and future, as he must now rest for 21 days before returning to action. That’s because FIFA and FIFPRO, the global body that represents professional soccer players, agreed in 2025 on a rest period at the end of each season for health reasons. In a statement at the time, they wrote:
“There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period/holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season.
“This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”
Messi, along with fellow Argentina and Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, will not play in Inter Miami’s next two matches and will not be available for the MLS All-Star Game on July 29, as reported by ESPN. That would mean that the duo will not play in Wednesday’s match against Chicago Fire or the Saturday match versus CF Montreal.
In fact, if both players choose to take the full recovery period off, they will not play across the next four matches, with a return date of August 9th. Luckily for the David Beckham-owned side, though, they are the only two allowed to do so from the entire squad.
Has Messi Played His Final World Cup?
If – and its a big if – Messi has played his final World Cup, then he leaves behind him a legacy that places him as one of the greatest players in the competition’s history.
Across 34 appearances, he scored 21 goals and provided his teammates with 12 assists. He featured in three finals, won the 2022 edition, and is undoubtedly the most-loved footballer of all time.
The tears he shed at the weekend could be for a whole host of reasons. While it could be an expected emotional outpouring, or a reminder that he’s played with the weight of his father’s illness on his mind – it could also signal that his time at the top is over.
He will be 43 by the time the next tournament rolls around, and with two Copa America titles and a World Cup mantle, he may not wish to try complete football all over again, having already done it. That said, his quality throughout this summer suggests he could still hold his own in four years.
You scored
out of 20
Leandro Paredes’ Sister Goes on England Rant After World Cup Final
External reserves stand at $52bn – CBN gov, Cardoso
Gavi Breaks Silence on Leandro Paredes Altercation After World Cup Final
Meaning Behind Egypt Manager’s ‘X’ Gesture vs Argentina
Simi Sanya and Femi Dapson Are Now Legally Married and It Is Beautiful to See
Premier League Set-Piece Goals (2025/2026)
-
Sports2 days agoNicolas Otamendi and Rodri’s Post-World Cup Final Chat Revealed
-
Sports2 days agoWorld Cup Fans Blame Argentina Loss vs Spain on Giuliano Simeone
-
Sports16 hours agoEnzo Fernandez Releases Statement After World Cup Final Red Card
-
Sports2 days agoCristian Romero Snubs Donald Trump Handshake During World Cup Final Ceremony
-
Entertainment2 days agoDavido Is Making Traditional Fashion Feel Cooler Than Ever With This Timeless Look
-
Sports14 hours agoExplanation For Lionel Messi’s Strange World Cup Tunnel Room Speech
-
Metro2 days agoPlateau MACBAN alleges killing of three herders, cow by ‘Berom Militias’
-
Entertainment2 days agoCardi B Makes a Dramatic Statement in Sculptural Red Robert Wun at Paris Haute Couture Week