Kyle Walker thinks that there is only one player in the world of football who is ‘in the same bracket’ as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
For the past fifteen years, Ronaldo and Messi have been at loggerheads over who is the greatest player of all time. During their tenure at Real Madrid and Barcelona, the pair went straight after each other, consistently setting records that the other had to chase.
In that time, no other player has been able to equal their excellence. Both players are nearing the twilight of their careers, with Messi at Inter Miami and Ronaldo at Al Nassr.
It means there has never been a better time to try to rise up the ranks and become the unquestioned top player in the world.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are the top contenders, with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. following closely behind. Surprisingly, City veteran Walker has chosen one of his present colleagues and claims to be in the same elite category as Ronaldo and Messi.
Kevin De Bruyne, who returned from a long-term hamstring injury on Saturday evening to lead City to a 3-2 victory over Newcastle United, is the guy in question.
De Bruyne was named to the FIFPro Team of the Year for the fourth straight year, and Walker heaped praise on the midfielder.
The England international stated: “I think there’s only certain players, the likes of Messi and Ronaldo, that you can say are in the same bracket as Kevin – Kevin goes into that bracket for me.
“When he came on against Newcastle, you could feel that push, you could feel that energy and that excitement. He gives you a lift and Kevin is at his best when he’s on the ball playing passes that you don’t think are even visible to play.”
