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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="match-schedule">{"type":"match-schedule","data":{"channelId":"92686d1e-5985-40e1-80f3-6f5a54f55b39","competitionId":"34pl8szyvrbwcmfkuocjm3r6t"}}</script><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Argentina burst onto the scene as teenager</li><li>Quickly became a record-breaking goalscorer</li><li>Brazilian glad he left Spanish football when he did</li></ul>

Roberto Carlos ‘lucky’ he didn’t face ‘new Maradona’ Lionel Messi very often – with Real Madrid legend revealing when he knew Barcelona icon would be ‘best player in the world’

<p>The Brazilian full-back was on the Blancos’ books when <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/diego-maradona-dancer-lionel-messi-machine-mls-argentina-diego-valeri-explains-inter-miami-compared-world-cup-winner/blt0a97cf8a14b95314" target="_blank">another Argentina superstar was breaking onto a senior stage</a> at Barcelona. Carlos left Spain in 2007, but that was long enough to get a good look at Messi and the South American’s obvious potential.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>It was 2008-09 before Messi became a prolific presence for Barca, as he <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/career-goals-lionel-messi-psg-barcelona-argentina/blt23528ffecf7832b4" target="_blank">broke the 30-goal barrier for the fist time</a>, but Carlos – along with fellow World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro – had already come to the conclusion that the now eight-time Ballon d’Or winner would <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-more-flair-cristiano-ronaldo-snubbed-wayne-rooney-man-utd-team-mate--inter-miami-superstar-goat/bltc212b3a2caa31700" target="_blank">become the best player on the planet</a>.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Madrid icon Carlos has told <a href="https://www.90min.com/es " target="_blank"><em>90min</em></a> of his limited experience trying to contain one of the most elusive players to have ever laced up a pair of boots: “When Messi dribbled past Cannavaro and me and ran over us and the match ended, I turned to Cannavaro and said: ‘My God, who is this player? He’s the new Maradona.’ I’m lucky, I didn’t have much time left before I retired, how would the next generation of defenders cope? They’ll really struggle with him. I knew he’d be the best player in the world. In the future, he would win everything and I’m happy because I watched him more than I played against him.” </p>

WHAT CARLOS SAID

<p>Messi lined up against Cannavaro and Carlos in a 2006 clash at the Bernabeu that Real won 2-0. He posed plenty of problems that day, though, and was well on course to become a performer that now <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/impossible-lionel-messi-trait-makes-goat-inter-miami-rival-sergio-canales-explains-why-argentine-best/bltc10ba916c9268fc0" target="_blank">sits comfortably at the top of many GOAT lists</a>.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

Roberto Carlos ‘lucky’ he didn’t face ‘new Maradona’ Lionel Messi very often – with Real Madrid legend revealing when he knew Barcelona icon would be ‘best player in the world’ | Goal.com

Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos considers himself “lucky” that he did not have to face “new Maradona” Lionel Messi very often.