10 Rare Occasions Jose Mourinho Sang Praises of Lionel Messi

Mercurial Footballer, Lionel Messi is celebrating his 33rd Birthday today with some remarkable records over the decade. Over the course of his career, Argentine footballer Lionel Messi considered by most to be one of the best footballers in the world, has received six Ballon d'Or awards, the most for any football player, as well as the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Men's Player 2019.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi holds the record for most goals in La Liga (440), the Supercopa de España (14), the UEFA Super Cup (3), as well as the most goals scored in one calendar year (91 in 2012), and the player with the most recorded assists in football history, with 309 career assists.

He has scored 699 senior career goals for club and country. He is also the first player in history to win six European Golden Shoes.

However, compared to his style of play which can be related to the philosophies of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and other attacking minded gaffers, Jose Mourinho is a different brand of manager entirely with defensive football mentality.
Below Ten Rear Occasions the Special One Praised the Little Magician.

1. March 2014

"I don't think Messi has to win the World Cup with Argentina to be great, he's already great. A lot of the greats did it, so they're all waiting for him to do it to."

2. July 2014

"Messi has all my respect because he plays for his national team. Not everyone who has been to the World Cup can say the same thing."

3. July 2014

"Leo is an example, like the Dutchman Kuyt, who one day plays as a winger, another as a sub and another as a striker."

4. May 2015

"Leo Messi is impossible to mark. he is unique and makes a difference. With him, any great team can win the Champions League."

5. May 2015
"Messi has the most dangerous opponent I've ever had. Every time I had to face him, I spent hours and hours thinking about how to stop him collectively, because it's impossible to mark the man."

6. March 2016

"It is easier to win the Champions League with Messi than against Messi."

7. November 2016

"I hope he never leaves because he belongs to Barça and Barça belong to him."

8. October 2017

"My son told me one thing I'll never forget: 'You're going to win trophies against Messi, not with him."

9. April 2019

"His game is easy to understand, but it's not easy to create a cage to control it, because he comes from the right and then stays in the middle. When Messi has the ball and has a one on one you are dead."
10. May 2019

"Messi is Messi. I'm not saying he 'The Special One' of this week because he's 'The Special One' of all time. He is the God of football. We'll cry when he retires."