Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has heaped praise on Lionel Messi and called the Argentine superstar the greatest player of all time (GOAT).

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has sided with Lionel Messi in the debate over the greatest player of all time (GOAT). In a recent interview, the England international explained why the Argentine is the best at the game.

Explaining why Messi is superior to the rest, Arnold told The Mirror: “Lionel Messi is the greatest player in the history of football. When I face him, I have a very special feeling that I have never experienced with any other opponent. Every time the ball is near him, you are always on high alert. It is very rare for a player to create this feeling in opponents. So I have to say that he is the best.”

Arnold praises Messi as the greatest player

The 25-year-old added: “For me, in many aspects of football, he’s probably the best. Any time he’s on the pitch, he can do almost anything he wants. So I think he’s the best player.”

It is worth mentioning that Arnold has only faced Messi once in the past, and it was a sweet memory for both the England player and Liverpool.

Specifically, Arnold and his teammates welcomed Barcelona in the semi-finals of the 2018/2019 Champions League. The Catalan team had a big advantage with a 3-0 victory in the first leg, but The Kops created one of the most memorable comebacks by defeating their opponents with a score of 4-0, thereby confidently advancing to the final and winning the championship afterwards.

Arnold faced Messi in the 2018/2019 Champions League semi-finals. Photo: Getty

As for Arnold, this player had a memorable match with a classic assist in the history of the tournament, indirectly causing Lionel Messi and his teammates to regret.

Arnold has a memorable assist in Champions League history

Up to now, Messi is one of the few players who has completed a complete collection of titles in his football career. Notable among them are 4 Champions League titles, 2 Copa America titles and most memorable is the 2022 World Cup title along with 8 times being named in the Golden Ball award.

Although he has given up on playing at the highest level in Europe, Messi is still bringing “magic” to Inter Miami and promises to continue to maintain his peak form until he officially retires from his career.