Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho Gaucho, Ronaldo da Lima, Pele, and Diego Maradona are some of the greats regularly touted as the best of all time, but an Argentina icon holds the crown, according to the retired Indomitable Lion
Cameroon legend and four-time African Player of the Year, Samuel Eto'o Fils, is confident that Barcelona's Lionel Messi is not just the best player in the world but also the greatest of all time.
The three-time AFCON winner also admitted that Messi can no longer run as he used to when he was 25 years old, but has called on his former club to build a capable team around the six-time Balon d'Or winner so he can continue to play for a few more decades.
Eto'o and Messi were teammates at Barcelona after the African hero moved to the Camp Nou from Mallorca in 2004.
Both played influential roles as the Catalans recorded one of their most successful periods in history winning, among other trophies, three UEFA Champions League titles under Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola.
Eto'o left Barcelona for Inter Milan in 2011 and ended his glittering football career last year after further spells at Anzhi Makhachkala, Chelsea, Everton, and Sampdoria.
But the Cameroonian insists that, as a Barca fan, he does not want Messi to hang his boots soon.
“Leo is the best player in the world and the best of all time,” Eto'o told Marca.
“I'd always pick the team asking Messi who he wanted next to him, in his team.
“Every team in the world wants Messi. Then, you have to give him support. He can't run like a 25-year-old kid anymore, although he does sometimes.
“What we have to do as Barcelona fans is give him the best team in the world to keep enjoying him. He has to play until he's 70 so that we can enjoy more.”
