Roberto Carlos was 'fortunate' that he did not face 'new Maradona' Lionel Messi very often.

[{"selector":"#anim-f766e6dd-7a02-4252-994a-780cfbb008bd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(18.782608620805753%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c277dccc-7d7a-44dc-beaa-b685476b0cbe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Real Madrid great reveals when he realized Barcelona icon would be the 'best player in the world'

[{"selector":"#anim-40f6bb2a-8ba3-4c9c-b087-d1cfdec16b04 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-16.93788813126232%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b14433a7-5a60-4f97-8464-ca8de4cd5be5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Real Madrid veteran Roberto Carlos finds himself "lucky" that he hasn't had to face "new Maradona" Lionel Messi very frequently.

[{"selector":"#anim-6a7d427e-5040-466d-9cf1-52e712dcb279 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(18.02795023871981%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c36c8f4-c0aa-4230-a873-0d26ac85ebe3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Brazilian full-back was on the Blancos' roster when another Argentina legend made his senior debut at Barcelona.

[{"selector":"#anim-d2bbff16-a216-474c-8a6e-3c786c1c198c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(14.254658328290079%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a89cb20-ef11-4a75-9db9-2376792ab27c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Carlos left Spain in 2007, but he had enough time to see Messi and his evident talent.

[{"selector":"#anim-67008f34-6c1a-4acc-94a4-c51229a05d8d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06626ac8-d3cc-4c63-aaa9-7f03f8e833e0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Messi became a prolific presence for Barcelona in 2008-09, breaking the 30-goal threshold for the first time

[{"selector":"#anim-0df57919-e865-465c-a13d-cb5d8aec01d9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-17.608695582005396%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13116424-c837-4c6a-98fc-e785a29acb47","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] but Carlos, along with fellow World Cup champion Fabio Cannavaro, had previously.

[{"selector":"#anim-dae42054-01fa-4149-9b39-d9540f95e974 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(17.776397444691163%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bba8c8fe-aaf2-4227-8dcf-9a5359e4e6cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cannavaro – had already come to the conclusion that the now eight-time Ballon d’Or winner would become the best player on the planet.

[{"selector":"#anim-72924e22-9f19-469f-a462-500ae603be2e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-15.763975092461962%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24ab8466-87cf-4542-85b4-c10c30a47d01","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Madrid icon Carlos has told 90min of his limited experience trying to contain one of the most elusive players to have ever laced up a pair of boots

[{"selector":"#anim-91ec0259-5eda-4ff6-9855-dfb4a3addb7b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd69c62c-d02c-4b4d-8b55-d4a0908668b2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] “When Messi dribbled past Cannavaro and me and ran over us and the match ended"

[{"selector":"#anim-04d18da0-980c-4c4c-b406-00fa383170d6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(19.453416071548812%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b969ac7f-3479-4ae3-a4cb-b44c56ef5b60","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] They’ll really struggle with him. I knew he’d be the best player in the world.

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Roberto Carlos was 'fortunate' that he did not face 'new Maradona' Lionel Messi very often.

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