Xavi has insisted that former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi is "without doubt" the best player in the world and claimed that comparisons between the Argentine and Cristiano Ronaldo only come from Real Madrid.
It has long been debated whether Messi or Ronaldo is the best player in the world, with the pair both enjoying incredible success over the last few years.
Xavi has branded Ronaldo "an elite footballer", but claimed that the debate over who is superior is only present in the Spanish capital and not something that was ever discussed in the Barcelona dressing room.
"Lionel's mental and physical speed is second to none, he is without doubt the best in the world. Only a fool could have played football and not recognise Cristiano as an elite footballer, but he just has had bad luck to be around at the same time as Leo. The only people who draw comparisons with the two are in Madrid," Xavi told Cadena SER.
Xavi, who played for Barcelona between 1991 and 2015, currently represents Qatari outfit Al Sadd.
Matt Law
