Exclusive – Inter Legend On Ex AC Milan Star Ibrahimovic: “Thinks He’s Best In World, He’s No Messi Or Ronaldo” | OneFootball

Inter Milan and Italy legend Marco Materazzi believes former AC Milan star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a great player but is no Lionel Messi or Ronaldo.

Materazzi told this to The Italian Football Podcast and SempreInter.com exclusively at an event hosted by LuckyBlock.com,

The first part of the interview with Marco Materazzi can be found here.

The two have never seen eye to eye. This after Materazzi tackled the Swede when he played for Juventus. The tackle injured the Swede so he had to come off.

The Swede revealed later that he took revenge on Materazzi in a derby when playing for AC Milan. In between then the duo were teammates at Inter Milan.

However, after a Champions League defeat to Liverpool where Materazzi got sent off, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was critical of his then teammate.

Inter & Italy Legend Materazzi On Ex AC Milan Striker Ibrahimovic: “Thinks He’s Best In World But He’s No Messi Or Ronaldo”

Materazzi was asked about these jabs back and forth between the two and how their relationship is today after both their playing careers have ended.

The former Inter Milan Champions League winner was clear about how he perceives his former teammate.

Materazzi believes Ibrahimovic is a top player but nowhere near the liked of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

“I don’t have a relationship with him, but it is not a problem for him or for me because we have our lives. What happens on the pitch stays on the pitch. No problem for me.

“He thinks he was the best player in the world. This is not my opinion. But he is a big, big player for me. He’s scored a lot of goals historically.

“He’s won many titles, maybe not the most important titles, because he lost Champions Leagues, World Cups, European Championships, but won maybe 20 Scudetti.

“He is a big player; he is a crack [Spanish slang for top class player]. But he is not Messi, he is not Ronaldo, he is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But in the future everybody will know about him.”

Marco Materazzi: “Ronaldo Toughest Opponent I Ever Played, Marco Van Basten My Childhood Hero”

The 2010 Inter Milan Champions League winner was asked about who he thought was his toughest opponent. Materazzi was also asked who his childhood hero was.

And he was also asked who the best teammate he ever had was. He gave two answers which were surprising.

“It’s not easy to answer this [who the best teammate was], I was lucky. Because I played with all of the best: Etoo, Milito, Totti, Baggio but I choose Stankovic,

“This because he was my teammate and my roommate too for 10 years. I love him as my brother.

“Ronaldo, il Fenomeno was my toughest opponent. Marco Van Basten was my childhood idol. I know he was a Milan player but for me he was the best back then.”

Marco Materazzi: “Don’t Like Being Remembered For Zidane Headbutt But For Two Goals Scored In 2005 FIFA World Cup Final”

The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner with Italy was then asked about the impact that infamous headbutt Zinedine Zidane gave him in that final in Berlin.

When asked if Zidane staying on the pitch would have impacted the outcome of the game, Materazzi believed it’s difficult to know.

“You never know what would have happened with him [on the pitch]. He got the red card maybe just 15 minutes before the game was over.

“I don’t like to remember that because in my opinion, you have to remember me for my two goals scored in the World Cup final.

“I don’t know how many defenders who have scored two goals in the World Cup Final [smiles]. So that was very important.

“Maybe he could have scored the penalty [in the shootout]. But in my opinion Trezeguet is one of the best penalty takers in the game but was unlucky.

“Had he scored then we would have drawn and shot more penalties. Maybe it was destiny that Italy win the World Cup.”

Marco Materazzi: “Italy 2002 FIFA World Cup Squad Better Than Azzurri 2006 FIFA World Cup Winners”

The former Perugia and Everton defender then made an interesting revelation about the 2006 FIFA World Cup winning squad.

Materazzi was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Italy squad which was eliminated in a controversial game against South Korea. The game was officiated by Byron Moreno.

Moreno was sent to prison in 2011 for involvement in a narcotics case.

“I don’t know if he [Moreno] is still in prison, no? [laughs] Maybe he has more problems than that Italy vs Korea game.

“But in my opinion that Italy team was better than the 2006. We didn’t have Pirlo but in my opinion that Italy team was better than in 2006.

“We deserved to go ahead in that game, but Byron Moreno was a joker for them. But then we went home and started to prepare for the 2006 World Cup.”

Marco Materazzi joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2001. He spent 10 seasons at the club, featuring times across all competitions, scoring 20 goals in the process.

He won 14 trophies during his 10 years, including the historic Continental Treble in 2010, becoming the first team from Italy to do so.