Manchester United legend David de Gea has said that Lionel Messi is made of marble.
The Spaniard recently revealed that, having played with and against the GOATs, he can confirm that Cristiano Ronaldo is not a normal player as well.
Speaking during an interview with the press, the goalkeeper shared that despite shoulder bumping Messi while he still played for Atletico Madrid as a youngster, the Argentine forward carried on playing like nothing happened.
According to him, he genuinely thought his shoulder bump would send Messi flying three metres, but Lionel didn’t even notice the hit despite his obvious intimidation tactic.
De Gea stated that the World Cup winner did not move an inch after the bump, forcing him to conclude he was made of marble.
“I once gave Messi a really strong shoulder, thinking I’d send him flying three metres. I was playing for Atletico Madrid, I was very young. I thought I’d make him feel my presence and send him a strong signal.
I blocked a ball in the box near him and before clearing it, I went up to him to give him a really strong shoulder. I hit him really hard with my body, shoulder, and ball. I swear, I didn’t move him an inch. He was made of marble! I assure you the blow was strong, but he didn’t move,” he said.
The former MUFC goalie further noted that Ronaldo has lived a dedicated life as a footballer, stressing that the Portuguese forward constantly focuses on improving his performance on the pitch.
He concluded by saying that CR7’s legacy as a footballer is built on his outstanding mentality.
“Another example that he, like Cristiano, has always taken care of everything in his career: a life focused on performance. Messi is small, but he has an incredible physique. And you also build it with your mentality. That’s why I want to see how many will be able to reach their level in a few years. But not for a season or two, mind you… for twenty years!” he added.
