To many, Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time. Some of football's biggest names regard him as the best ever. Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney are just two stars who believe he's the greatest footballer in history. Not everyone shares that opinion, though. Some believe Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Messi, while others argue that legends such as Diego Maradona and Pele should rank higher on the GOAT list.

The latter is one example of a former footballer who doesn't consider Messi the greatest player of all time. The Brazilian icon is no stranger to controversial opinions, so it may not come as a huge surprise that Pele once revealed he believed Zinedine Zidane was better than the Barcelona legend.

Pele Believed Zinedine Zidane Was Better Than Lionel Messi

If you ask the majority, Zinedine Zidane was one of the most technically gifted stars to ever play football. Very few, however, would put him above Messi in an all-time ranking. Pele certainly did, though, and he pointed to Zidane's success despite playing alongside less celebrated teammates than the Argentine had at Barcelona as one reason for his view.

In quotes shared via Football Espana in 2013, Pele said:

"As an individual, Zidane was even better than Messi. He was a spectacular in an era where his teammates were not big names like those alongside Messi. There, at Barcelona, he has players such as Xavi and Iniesta."

Zidane's career lasted 17 years, beginning in 1989 and ending in 2006. The former midfielder represented several of the world's leading sides during his playing days, including Juventus, Real Madrid and the France national team. He collected a wealth of silverware throughout his career, including a World Cup and multiple Champions League titles. He was a commanding presence in midfield, standing among the greatest midfielders in football history, and possessed an ability to make the game appear remarkably simple.

He was arguably even more impressive as a manager, leading Los Blancos to three Champions League trophies and establishing himself as one of the most successful coaches of his generation. Even so, few people would place him ahead of Messi when discussing the greatest players ever, but Pele was among those who did.