I played against the greatest players in football – and Lionel Messi is the best by far

Lionel Messi remains one of the world’s best players – it’s scary what he can still do with a football.

That’s the view of Kyle Walker, who has labelled the 38-year-old as the best player he has faced from his career.

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The veteran forward now plies his trade in America with Inter Miami, and some fans have questioned whether the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner can still compete at an elite level.

No Messi-n about

But he immediately put to bed any of those suggestions as he starred in Argentina’s opening win in Group J earlier in the week.

Messi fired in a hat-trick against Algeria to become the joint-top scorer in World Cup history.

He also created history by becoming the oldest player to bang in a treble in football’s biggest tournament.

For Burnley right-back Walker, he has declared Messi is still in a league of his own.

During his eight-year stay at Manchester City, Walker played against Messi twice.

Both matches came in the 2021/22 Champions League season during the latter’s spell at Paris Saint-Germain, which saw Messi find the back of the net in PSG’s 2-0 home group stage victory.

The former Tottenham man was in the talkSPORT studio on Friday to discuss his stunning start at the World Cup.

Breakfast co-host Jeff Stelling stressed how the World Cup needs its star players to step up following impressive opening displays from Messi, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.

Having his say on the big names turning up, Walker said: “Big players step up in big moments, and the names that you’ve just mentioned there, that’s what they’re meant to do.

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“They’re meant to step up and carry their team across the line.

“I’ve had the pleasure of playing with or against all of them, and at any given moment, they can step up.”

Interjecting, Stelling then asked who was the best he faced, with Walker proceeding one man stands levels above the rest.

He remarked: “Oh Messi, by far!

“What he does with a football, it’s scary, it shouldn’t really happen.

“And I think people seem to write him of all the time or, ‘He’s getting a little bit too old.’

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“It’s probably going to be his last World Cup, but to do what he’s done [in his career]…

“And if they retain the World Cup, what a dream that’ll be for him to go out with.

“I hope he doesn’t, because I hope England wins!

“But for what that man has done in football is truly remarkable.”

One more goal for Messi at the World Cup will be his 17th and see him hold the goalscoring record outright from Miroslav Klose.

Messi and Argentina are next in action against Austria on Monday, before rounding off Group J against Jordan on June 28.