‘Messi a level above Ronaldo in class of his own’ – Beckham ranks Barcelona star above former Man Utd No.7

The Red Devils and Real Madrid legend considers an Argentine playmaker to be a better player than a man who inherited his shirt at Old Trafford Lionel Messi is a level above even Cristiano Ronaldo, says Manchester United legend David Beckham, with the Barcelona superstar considered to sit in a class of his own. Many share that opinion of the mercurial Argentine forward, with his exploits at Camp Nou continuing to amaze and raise the bar of individual excellence. Eternal rival Ronaldo is the only player to have got close to Messi, with the pair having split 11 Ballons d’Or between them. The Portuguese, currently starring for Juventus, does boast many qualities in his game that Barcelona’s captain lacks, with the 35-year-old all about physicality and relentless ambition. Messi, though, has captivated audiences with his mazy dribbling and audacious finishing for the best part of 16 years, with a remarkable return of 627 goals recorded for the Blaugrana in that time. For former England captain Beckham, who passed on the No.7 shirt at United to Ronaldo and also preceded him at Real Madrid, South American flair wins out over Portuguese power. He told Telam: “He [Messi] is alone in his class as a player, it is impossible that there is another like him.