Frank Lampard left out Cristiano Ronaldo when he was asked who were the best two players he has ever played against.
Former Chelsea manager and midfielder, Lampard played against Ronaldo during his first spell at Manchester United.
Lampard also scored against his team during the 2008 Champions League final. In what is perhaps the most famous match between them, the Reds defeated the Blues via penalties.
Lampard did not name Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest players he had ever played against, even though he was 37 years old.
“There’s two that I would say – one is Messi, because I think he’s just the best,” said Lampard
“The other one is Ronaldinho, because in 2005, we went to the Nou Camp, it was my first encounter of a player on a different planet.
“Him an Eto’o on that day, but particularly Ronaldinho’s movements, I was like, wow, this is different.”
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After Ronaldo left Manchester United to join Real Madrid for a world record £80m in 2009, he went on to win four Champions League titles with Los Blancos.
Lampard believes he never had the opportunity to play against Ronaldinho in the Bernabeu’s peak.
“I didn’t play Ronaldo at his peak. I played him at Man United and he was getting towards it, but not in those years at Madrid, where he was just ridiculous,” Coral asked Lampard.
“I feel bad with Cristiano, because what he has done in massive games, and winning finals and stuff; I think that’s such a tight call.
“I didn’t really come against him then, but I feel I did with Messi, and I never got near him – he was just amazing.”
11 years since Ronaldo’s shocking move to the Spanish capital, he is back in United red where he has already hit the ground running with four goals in his first three matches.