Is Bukayo Saka better than Lionel Messi?… Ex-Arsenal star on whether he still backs divisive statement

EXCLUSIVE: Bukayo Saka was once described as a better football player than Lionel Messi by a former Arsenal star.

However, after watching the Argentine produce magical performances at the FIFA World Cup 2026, has this retired striker changed his mind?

Jérémie Aliadière has changed his stance on Bukayo Saka being better than Lionel Messi

At the age of 39, many believed that Lionel Messi was no longer the greatest player on the planet. However, during the course of the biggest competition in all of sport, the football wizard reminded the world of just how good he truly is.

Messi has just annihilated Cristiano Ronaldo in the new global rankings, and looks destined to continue mesmerising fans across the globe.

Prior to the tournament, during a game of ‘Stay Silent until you hear a better player than Bukayo Saka‘, uploaded to YouTube by Harri Kanot, Jérémie Aliadière remained quiet even when Messi’s name was mentioned.

But having witnessed the legend’s displays throughout the summer, he’s backtracked on that opinion.

When asked during an exclusive interview with Sporf, via ToonieBet, whether he still has that view, the Frenchman chuckled: “Not today. At the time I did, but not anymore; Messi is just unreal. When people ask me, ‘Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo‘? I always like the work ethic of Cristiano Ronaldo, and how he did it at different clubs, so I always rated that, but the more you watch Messi, you can’t even argue about it. He’s a freak of nature; he’s just a genius. At 39, the things he does — not even physically; how does he know how to pick the moment? He walks around, then at a certain moment, he sees a picture, and he’s like, ‘I’m going to do my thing’. How does he do it over and over again? He’s unreal.”

WOW: Roberto Baggio had just as much ability as Lionel Messi, according to football legend

Will Kylian Mbappe retire with a better legacy than Lionel Messi?

Following the biggest competition in football, Messi has put some distance between himself and Ronaldo in the GOAT conversation.

However, Kylian Mbappe is hoping that he can put his name in the mix,

As of right now, the Real Madrid star hasn’t done enough to be held in the same regard as the 2022 World Cup winner. However, that could all change.

With this in mind, an icon revealed whether he thinks Mbappe will be greater than Messi.

Featured Image Credit: Getty