Barcelona icon Messi names Real Madrid legend as the player who angered him the most

Few rivalries in football can even dare to compare themselves to the one between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Both the rivals from Spain have clashed throughout the decades in many memorable Clasicos. Even today, the rivalry between Barcelona and their eternal enemies from Madrid remains heated despite occasional moments of sporting respect.

When it comes to Barcelona and El Clasicos, the name of Lionel Messi is always recalled. The Barcelona icon and El Clasico specialist is a man who has often been at the heart of the rivalry against Los Blancos. From his early days to his final seasons with Barcelona, Messi was the man to watch in almost every Clasico.

However, in a recent interview, as highlighted by SPORT, Messi was asked to reveal the Real Madrid player who always angered or frustrated him the most, and the Barcelona legend had to waste no second thoughts on what his answer was going to be:

“Sergio Ramos and I fought quite a bit. He was the player I got the angriest with. Later, we became teammates, but during the clásicos, we always clashed. The clásicos were intense.”

That answer seems as reasonable as it could have been. The former Real Madrid captain and defender was one of the most heated rivals that both Barcelona and Lionel Messi had to face. Statistically, he is the opponent who has faced the Argentine forward on the most number of occasions, that being 44.

However, in perhaps one of the wildest twists in football, both Messi and Ramos would take their next step after Barcelona and Real Madrid hand in hand. The two coincided at French club Paris Saint-Germain and were there between the period of 2021-2023.

Now, in 2024, both of them have parted ways yet again. Lionel Messi, aged 36, has moved away from Barcelona, PSG, and the rest of Europe to continue his journey in the MLS over in the United States of America, and Sergio Ramos, now aged 38, has returned to his home of Sevilla and continues to play in La Liga.