AC Milan legend Gennaro Gattuso names the greatest soccer player of all time

Gennaro Gattuso is one of the best players in the history of AC Milan where he became a club legend winning two UEFA Champions League, two European Super Cups and a Club World Cup. In addition to this, he became a legend of the Italian national team by winning a FIFA World Cup in 2006. His captaincy and sense of belonging for AC Milan is one of the highlights of his entire career as his strong character made him unforgettable. Despite his legendary status at AC Milan, Gattuso is clearly the greatest soccer player of all time.

“For many years Messi has been the greatest soccer player. Not only at a technical or soccer level, he is the greatest because of the way he has lived his entire career. He is an example for all of world soccer, for children. He never said a bad word. Always perfect and I think this is very important for our sport…He does things that I only see on PlayStation, unthinkable things. He is a player with an incredible quality. For some years now he has been the best soccer player of all time,” Gattuso said at a press conference when he was coach of Napoli in the Italian league.

Gennaro Gattuso did not get to face Lionel Messi as a player because in the 2011/12 season he was absent for both games as well as in the following 2012/13 season where he was also absent. However, as a coach he did face him. When he was in charge of Napoli in the Italian league he faced Lionel Messi’s FC Barcelona twice in the Champions League round of 16 where he drew the first game 1-1 and lost the second 3-1. Although they never faced, Gennaro acknowledged Messi’s superiority to any other player.

Gennaro Gattuso had the privilege of playing alongside some of soccer’s most celebrated legends, including Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon, and Paolo Maldini. These players, each considered among the greatest in their respective positions, set extraordinary standards for the game. However, Gattuso holds Lionel Messi in even higher regard. Despite witnessing the brilliance of his former teammates up close, he unequivocally considers Messi’s talent and impact on the sport unparalleled, elevating him above all others in football history.

Lionel Messi (C) of FC Barcelona duels for the ball with Philippe Mexes (R) and Alessandro Nesta of AC Milan during the Champions League quarter-final second leg match between FC Barcelona and AC Milan at the Camp Nou stadium on April 3, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain.

Gennaro Gattuso claimed Lionel Messi is the best player of all time in the land where Diego Maradona is glorified

Gattuso’s statements were given them while managing the team where Diego Maradona is a legend and idol, Napoli, and when Cristiano Ronaldo was playing for Juventus in the same league in which he managed.

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In this regard, Gennaro clarified his words about Messi by mentioning Diego Armando Maradona: “Maradona was a soccer God… But I saw him in videos. Up close, in a stadium, I never saw him and I know I missed something wonderful, which I really regret. But today I see Messi do the things Maradona did and it is clear to me that he is the greatest.”

It is clear that Gattuso’s statements were not intended to make Maradona inferior but to praise Lionel Messi’s figure since he was the one he was able to watch play live, as he only saw Diego Maradona in videos. This difference made Gennaro opt for Messi. However, he respects Maradona very much, affirming that he is the God of soccer.

Gennaro Gattuso’s coaching career has fallen short of expectations

Gennaro Gattuso’s coaching career began at FC Sion in the Swiss league, where he served as a player-coach. He then took over at Palermo, an Italian club competing in Serie A at the time, the top tier of Italian football. Over the years, Gattuso’s journey as a coach included stints at OFI Crete in Greece and AC Pisa in Italy before returning to his beloved AC Milan in the 2016/17 season to coach the club’s Youth A team.

In the following season, 2017/18, Gattuso was promoted to head coach of AC Milan’s first team. He managed 83 games during his tenure but was ultimately dismissed by the board. After a year away from coaching, Gattuso took charge of Napoli, where he managed 81 matches. While his tenure included a Coppa Italia triumph in the 2019/20 season, it was not enough to secure his position, and he was fired.

Following another year-long hiatus, Gattuso had brief spells at Valencia CF, managing 22 matches, and Olympique Marseille, overseeing 24 matches. In both cases, he was dismissed before completing a full season. Currently, Gattuso is at the helm of Hajduk Split in the Croatian league.

Despite coaching several notable clubs, including AC Milan and Napoli, Gattuso’s managerial career has not yet lived up to the expectations set by his illustrious playing days. While he has shown glimpses of promise, consistency and sustained success have proven elusive.