Stephen Ireland says Hazard is best he’s played against – not Messi or Ronaldo
Stephen Ireland has revealed who the best player he has played against is – and it isn't Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ireland wasn't impressed with either of the football GOATs after playing against them during his time at Man City, which came to an end in 2010. Instead, it was ex-Chelsea star Eden Hazard who blew Ireland away with silky skills – earning the Belgian the title of the world's best from the Irish midfielder.
Speaking about Messi, who was suspended for an unauthorised absence by Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, Ireland said: "You get asked the question, ‘who is the best footballer you played against or played with' and your opinion is different to a fan or someone who is watching the game. I’ve played for Man City for Barcelona in a pre-season friendly.
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"Lionel Messi played, he wasn’t good and we won the game. I can’t sit here and say Messi is the best player I’ve played against because my experience in that game is that he wasn’t good. My point was, as most of these lads are unbelievable and legends of the game – and rightly so – when I played against them personally I never got back into the changing room afterwards and thought ‘wow, they were incredible' or ‘they handed my a** to me.’"
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And Ireland didn't go easy when he analysed disgruntled Al Nassr star Ronaldo's abilities, who he got the better of each time they played against each other, although the former City star did reserve some praise for ex-Arsenal ace Cesc Fabregas before singling out Hazard.
He added: "I always felt like I competed well enough with them in the moment in that game. Of course, over the course of their careers compared to mine, it doesn’t even compare.
"It’s day and night, of course. I played against Ronaldo four or fives times for City against United – I think I got sent off in two of them – I won every single game against him. So it’s very hard for me to say ‘Ronaldo is the best player I’ve played against.'
"I can only go off performances in the day against me, hence why I said Fabregas whenever I played against him, very good, Hazard every time, very, very good. That’s kind of my opinion based on that question."
However, Hazard is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to talent in Ireland's eyes, but Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, and Luka Modric were also what he describes as "ridiculous" on the pitch. Ireland continued when asked who the best was: "I think Hazard. Hazard is the first name that comes to mind really. Rooney was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.
"Rooney had this aura about him where you could tell he was just like….I played against Henry once as well at Highbury and the same thing, he had this aura around him that was like larger than life. Rooney was incredible as well. But for me, Hazard is the first name that pops into my head. Modric was ridiuclous as well."
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