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Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo 2023Getty/GOAL

'I had more fun with Cristiano Ronaldo than Lionel Messi' - Ex Barcelona & Juventus star Miralem Pjanic insists CR7 is the 'best' player he's ever worked with

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  • Bosnian midfielder played with both greats
  • Spent time with Juventus & Barcelona
  • Enjoyed more success alongside Portuguese icon

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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Bosnia & Herzegovina international forms part of an elite group that can claim to have spent time as a team-mate of Ronaldo and Messi. He has seen both Ballon d’Or winners up close, with 77 games taken in alongside Ronaldo at Juventus and 30 with Messi while on the books of Barcelona.

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  • Miralem Pjanic Lionel Messi BarcelonaGetty

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Pjanic won three trophies, including the Serie A title, while in Italy, but endured a testing time at Camp Nou – registering zero goal contributions and making just 13 La Liga starts during the 2020-21 campaign that proved to be Messi’s last in Catalunya.

  • WHAT THEY SAID

    Given that he was more successful when paired with CR7, it comes as little surprise to find that Pjanic has told O Jogo: "I talk a lot with Cristiano Ronaldo. I have many memories with him, he is a great footballer. He's the best I've ever played with. He is among the two, three strongest players in history. I was lucky enough to play with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and it's hard to say who is stronger. However, I had more fun with Ronaldo than Messi.”

  • Cristiano Ronaldo Miralem Pjanic JuventusGetty

    WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

    Pjanic is now playing his club football in the Middle East – just like Ronaldo. While the Portuguese superstar is in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, Pjanic is turning out in the UAE Pro League for Sharjah FC. Messi, meanwhile, moved to the United States in the summer of 2023 when linking up with MLS side Inter Miami.