Lionel Messi has hand-picked six footballers over time who he believes to be world-class. Despite being widely considered as the greatest footballer of all time, the Argentine has remained humble in giving former team-mates and rivals alike their flowers with regards to their footballing capabilities.

With 12 league titles, 17 domestic cups, four , eight , and a to his name, it's easy to see why the , and legend will go down in the annals of history as one of the best to ever grace the pitch. However, that hasn't prevented the now 37-year-old from feeling respectfully humble when considering the talents around him. But who are the six players that has showered with praise in recent years?

One of the only other players who could potentially challenge him for his GOAT status, Messi has been incredibly positive with regards to despite their long-standing footballing rivalry. The two enjoyed many El Clasico battles with one another while Messi was playing for Barcelona and Ronaldo was at , and with an astounding trophy cabinet in his own right, it's simple to see why some favour CR7 in terms of who is the better player.

However, rather than picking at differences between himself and Ronaldo, Messi has been increasingly supportive of the star, who continues to ply his trade in the at the age of 40. Previously crediting Ronaldo in the past, Messi said of the star: "Cristiano Ronaldo is an extraordinary player and it would be brilliant to be in the same team as him.

"I do not know if that will happen one day, but I would like it to as he is spectacular."

Given that Luis Suarez spent six years with Messi at Barcelona, making up two-thirds of the famous MSN attacking trio along with , it comes as very little surprise that the Argentinian has endlessly praised the striker. As Suarez announced his retirement from international football with Uruguay in September, Messi was quick to send him a heartfelt message dubbing him "unique".

Taking to Instagram, he shared a photo of the two hugging, while writing: "You're unique, Luis Suárez, both on and off the field. I care about you a lot."

Alongside Messi during his stint at Barcelona between 2014 and 2020, Suarez netted 195 goals across 283 appearances, lifting four titles, four Copa del Ray trophies, two Supercopa de Espanas, and a Champions League. And with the two already bagging a Supporters Shield with Inter Miami, their chemistry and talent with one another is undeniable.

was already six years into his Barcelona tenure when Messi broke through the youth system in Catalonia, so it's easy to see why Lionel looked up to the Spanish maestro throughout his career. Messi previously said of his ex-team-mate: "Xavi, it's difficult to describe him as a player - everybody in the world knows what he can do on the field. He's a player who dictates the rhythm of the game, he can put the ball where he wants, he reads the game excellently.

"It's been a pleasure to play alongside him for so long and to be able to enjoy his football - not just in games but in training sessions as well. He is the best player in the history of Spanish football - I think that says everything."

All things considered with the calibre of opponents that Messi has played both with and against over the course of his career, his synopsis of Xavi isn't one that should be taken with a pinch of salt. The two enjoyed 11 trophy-laden years alongside one another in the Spanish sun, before Xavi parted ways with Barcelona to see out the last four years of his career at Al Sadd.

Like Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos also spent a number of years duking it out with Messi for Real Madrid in El Clasico clashes. Known for being a hard-hitting centre-half, Ramos represented Los Blancos for 16 years between 2005 and 2021, and Messi has previously explained that he was the player that he would most frequently get into fiery arguments with on the pitch.

Speaking about battles with Ramos, Messi said: "We fought a lot with Sergio Ramos. We later became teammates, but [before] in the Clásicos, we always grabbed each other. The Clásicos were intense."

The two, of course, later put their differences aside and teamed up at PSG between 2021 and 2023, adding two Ligue 1 titles and a Trophee des Champions to their respective lists of achievements. And the respect between the two is evidently clear, with Ramos previously dubbing his rival-turned-team-mate as "the best player football ever produced".

Another player who Messi grew close with during his time in the French capital was . The two only enjoyed two years alongside one another with PSG, however, it is evident that Mbappe left a long-standing impression on one of football's greatest.

Speaking to TUDN about Mbappe, Messi said: "Kylian is a different player. He's a beast, he's very strong one-on-one, he finds space and he's very quick.

"He can score a lot of goals, he's a very complete player and he's been showing that for years. In the next few years he'll be among the very best, no doubt about it."

While Messi would have preferred for the 26-year-old to join Barcelona after his contract with PSG expired last year, Mbappe instead teamed up with Real Madrid, breaking through the 30-goal barrier in his first season in La Liga.

Another player who caused Messi problems during his Barcelona tenure comes in the form of Karim Benzema - a star striker who scored a total of 354 goals for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2023. While the two never came to be team-mates, that didn't prevent Messi from showing on a great deal of respect for his long-time rival.

Reflecting on Benzema winning the Ballon d'Or in 2022, Messi said of the Frenchman: "I think Benzema was a fair winner. He deserves it for the great year he had and what he has been doing throughout his career.

"He is a wonderful player and I think it is important for him and for soccer that he has this recognition."

Benzema parted ways with Los Blancos in 2023 to play in the Saudi Pro League under Al-Ittihad, with four La Liga titles and a quintet of Champions Leagues to show for his efforts over the years.