Former Barcelona star Ronaldinho once claimed Arsenal attacker could become world’s best player – Arsenal

Brazil and Barcelona legend Ronaldinho once claimed that an Arsenal player could become the world’s best player ahead of Lionel Messi.

Ronaldinho himself became the best player on the planet in the mid-2000s during a memorable spell at the Camp Nou.

The attacking midfielder moved to Barca in 2003 from Paris Saint-Germain and won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 during a successful time in Catalonia.

He won two La Liga titles and the Champions League crown before moving to AC Milan in 2008, before closing his playing career with spells at Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro, Queretaro and Fluminense as he retired in 2015.

During his time at Barcelona, Ronaldinho witnessed first hand the emergence of a young Messi at the Camp Nou as he came through the club’s famed La Masia academy to the first team.

Messi has, of course, gone on to become arguably the GOAT in football, after winning the Ballon d’Or for a record eight times during a decade and a half of dominance at the top of the game, along with Cristiano Ronaldo.

But Ronaldinho once believed there was another player who could go on to better Messi and become the next best player in the world, and that man now plies his trade at the Emirates Stadium.

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Gabriel Jesus joined Manchester City in 2017 from Palmeiras, going on to win four Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups at the Etihad Stadium club.

Jesus made the move to Arsenal in the summer of 2022 for a reported £45m, and has gone on to score 20 goals in 83 games so far for the Gunners.

And speaking back in 2017 not long after Jesus had joined City, Ronaldinho believed his countryman had the potential to become the best in the world.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, via Sky Sports, he said: “Manchester City have a very special player with Gabriel Jesus. Maybe even, in the future, the best player in the world.

“At the moment, it is Messi. I have always said I think one day it will be Neymar. But at 19, in the future, it can be Gabriel. He has all the abilities to make that happen.”

Jesus has ultimately not quite hit the heights Messi has, but has still had a successful and creditable career so far.