Baggio picked Messi as football’s greatest player during a legends’ panel in Milan, while former Italy defender Marco Materazzi chose Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazário.
Baggio placed Lionel Messi ahead of Pelé and Diego Maradona because of the Argentina captain’s sustained quality and output over two decades. However, he said ranking the three players was difficult because each stood above other footballers.
The 1993 Ballon d’Or winner described Messi’s longevity as the deciding factor rather than dismissing the achievements of Maradona or Pelé. France Football’s records confirm Baggio won its top individual award while representing Juventus in 1993.
Materazzi rejected the same three-player choice and named Ronaldo Nazário as his greatest. The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner praised the Brazilian’s speed, strength and technique despite the serious knee injuries that disrupted his career.
Materazzi called Ronaldo a “Martian” and stressed that he had faced more physical defending during his peak years. He also distinguished the Brazilian from Cristiano Ronaldo while acknowledging the Portugal forward’s achievements.
The choice reflected Materazzi’s connection with Ronaldo at Inter Milan. The club’s Hall of Fame describes the Brazilian as an “extraterrestrial” forward who scored 59 goals in 99 appearances for the Nerazzurri.
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The supplied account said Gabriel Batistuta, Romário and Ronaldo also attended the Milan discussion. No official event recording or complete transcript was available to independently confirm the panel’s date or the full wording of every remark.
