England star John Stones names Messi as best opponent he's faced

England and Manchester City star John Stones has been a vital defender for club and country over the past few years, playing in a Champions League final, a European Championship final and a World Cup semi-final as well as countless domestic finals.

From Mohamed Salah to Ciro Immobile, Stones has played against many of the best attackers in world football, but who is the best he's played against?

It comes as no surprise but Stones told GOAL that seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is the best opponent he's come up against when appearing on Simply The Best. He recalled going toe to toe with the former Barcelona talisman in the Champions League.

"On the day he didn't really play up to his usual standards but being a fan of him and watching his movement, watching what he did with the ball was incredible really," Stones said. "Trying to see how I could use that for different players or different scenarios as well."

Despite him having an off day, Stones was incredibly complimentary of the Argentinian, imagine what he would say if he played him when at his best!

Stones hasn't just played against some incredible players, he's played with them as well. He's almost spoilt for choice when it comes to who the best is, but he did manage to narrow it down. "David Silva has to be up there with the best player," he said. "He just made everything look so easy. The way he moves with the ball, passes, just silky."

Check out the full episode of Simply The Best with John Stones on GOAL's YouTube channel.