Few footballers have played in as many big matches as Raphael Varane. A four-time Champions League winner who also has a World Cup winners' medal to his name, the Manchester United defender has come up against pretty much every elite forward from around the world over the past decade.
So when GOAL asked Varane who the best player he has ever come up against was, we imagined it might be a difficult call to make.
We were wrong.
"Messi. Do you know Messi?" Varane joked during his appearance on Simply The Best. "He's fast, he's a very good striker, and you know about his left foot, so a very, very good player."
So as not to show any favouritism, Varane picked Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player he has ever played with, selecting the Portuguese having appeared alongside him at both United and Real Madrid.
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It was another ex-Madrid forward, though, that scored the best goal Varane has ever seen live.
"Gareth Bale in the final of the Champions League. It was amazing," he said of the Welshman's overhead kick against Liverpool in 2018.
Check out the full Simply The Best episode with Varane as he reveals the best atmosphere he has played in, as well as who the biggest joker and best dressed players are in the Manchester United dressing room.
