The debate over the greatest soccer player of all time is one thatās sparked countless discussions, with names like Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, PelĆ©, and Cristiano Ronaldo frequently surfacing. When it came time for former Real Madrid youth star Nico Paz to weigh in, he didnāt hold back.
The Spanish-born, Argentina-citizen midfielder, who was raised in the prestigious Real Madrid academy during Cristiano Ronaldoās prime, now finds himself playing alongside Messi on the Argentina national team. Despite his connections to both players, Paz made his choice clear without any hesitation or concern for criticism.
āItās a dream to be next to the best player in history, someone Iāve been watching since I was a kid,ā said Paz about Messi. The 20-year-old, who now plays for Como in Italyās Serie A, went on to share what it felt like to assist Messi in Argentinaās 6-0 win over Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier. āBeing able to assist him is the best thing that has happened to me,ā Paz said.
āConnecting with Messi isnāt very difficult. In the end, heās the best. Itās normalā¦ā Paz concluded in an interview following his strong performance during the FIFA window with the Argentina national team.
Lionel Messi of Argentina greets teammate Nico Paz after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026 South American Qualifier match between Argentina and Bolivia. (Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)
Messiās praise for Nico Paz
Following Argentinaās 6-0 demolition of Bolivia, Messi took the opportunity to praise his young teammate. āHe has a lot of quality, and heās very young. He understands the game well,ā Messi said. āHeās with a coach I know and care about a lot (Cesc FĆ bregas)ā.
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āRegardless of his age, Nico has an incredible mentality,ā Messi continued. āThatās why heās where he is today. I hope he keeps growing, and we can help him as he did todayāhe played minutes and enjoyed it. In this team, heāll feel it; he has a lot of talentā.
Carlo Ancelotti weighs in on Nico Pazās future
Paz, who joined Real Madridās academy in 2016, quickly made his mark with the clubās B team before making his debut with the first team in 2023. In 2024, he was sold to Como, but Real Madrid retains a buy-back option.
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has kept a close eye on Pazās progress. āHeās very good and has great talent,ā Ancelotti said during an interview with Radio Rai 1. āThis season away from Real Madrid has been very good for himā.
āWe are definitely following his development closely. He can absolutely be part of Real Madridās future. Weāre continuously monitoring his progress at Como,ā Ancelotti added.
