Joan Laporta Compares Lionel Messi to Johan Cruyff, Says He's World's Best

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has become the latest to throw his support behind Lionel Messi as the greatest player of all time.

"For me, with respect to all of the great players in history, Messi is the best of them all," he told Goal's Alberto Pinero and Ben Hayward. "You really have to put things in their context and their historic moment. For me, my idol was always Johan Cruyff. For me he has always been the greatest, not just as a player but also as a person."

Laporta was speaking after Messi was crowned winner of the Goal 50 award, given to the world's best player. And despite his admiration for Dutch legend Cruyff, Laporta believes Messi has surpassed him.

"Leo, in his moment, is the best in the world and the best in history and the truth is that you have done justice by giving him this prize because he deserves it. He's a player who deserves everything."

High praise indeed.

[h/t Goal]