On a date marked by Lionel Messi’s final appearance for Argentina, one of the defenders who spent years trying to contain him has reflected on the scale of the challenge. Diego Godín, the former Atlético Madrid and Uruguay captain, faced Messi 43 times across club and international football and believes his old opponent stands above every player of his era.
A familiar rival from Madrid to the Río de la Plata
Godín’s meetings with Messi came in some of the most demanding settings in the game: Atlético Madrid against Barcelona in Spain, and Uruguay against Argentina on the international stage. The Uruguayan said the sheer frequency of those encounters left him with an extensive collection of memories.
- Godín played against Messi 43 times during his career.
- Their meetings included Atlético Madrid-Barcelona fixtures and Argentina-Uruguay internationals.
- Godín said he was once told he was among the players who had faced Messi most often.
- He acknowledged that defeats outweighed victories in those contests.
“I played against him countless times,” Godín said. “There are so many memories. I was told once that I was among those who had faced him the most in his career, so you can imagine how many stories there are.”
Respect despite the defeats
For all the difficult afternoons against Barcelona and Argentina, Godín’s Atlético side did find notable ways past Messi. The Madrid club eliminated Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals in both 2014 and 2016, while the 2013-14 La Liga title was also secured during Messi’s Barcelona years.
Yet Godín’s verdict on the Argentine is uncomplicated. He described Messi as the finest player he has seen and praised both his achievements and his standards as a professional.
- Atlético knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League quarter-finals in 2014.
- The same tie ended in Atlético’s favour again in 2016.
- Godín was part of the Atlético team that won the 2013-14 Spanish league title.
- Despite those successes, he said Messi’s presence in the same era likely cost him further league honours.
“I have enormous respect for him,” Godín said. “For me, he is the greatest player in history, certainly of the generation I experienced. I was unfortunate to play in the same period as him; otherwise, perhaps I would have won a few more league titles. But he is an extraordinary player and an example of professionalism.”
A farewell felt far beyond Argentina
Messi’s last Argentina match on 6 October gives Godín’s tribute a wider resonance. Across Europe and the Americas, opponents have measured careers against the years in which Messi was on the other side of the pitch. Godín, who met him in 43 competitive battles, knows better than most how often that comparison ended in Messi’s favour.
