Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger recently made a surprising statement. The German defender claimed that defending against Erling Haaland is actually tougher than against Lionel Messi. This revelation may come as a shock to many, considering Messi’s reputation as one of the finest dribblers of all time. However, Rudiger has a specific reason behind his assertion.

For nearly two decades, Messi has been a nightmare for defenders around the world. His unmatched skills, dribbling, and vision on the field have left many top-level defenders helpless. Even Rudiger himself has praised the Argentine in the past, specifically in 2018 when he called him the best player in the world. So why does he find it easier to defend against Lionel Messi than Haaland?

Antonio Rudiger’s reasoning behind his bold claim

The 30-year-old recently sat down in an interview where he expressed his love for facing tough opponents. “It is what I live for,” said Rudiger. “Those are the moments I love—when all odds are against you when everyone talks against you.” He then went on to share his experience defending Erling Haaland.

Rüdiger: "Defending against tough opponents? It is what I live for. Those are the moments I love – when all odds are against you when everyone talks against you. This is how it was with Haaland. I live for those moments. It is tough to defend against tall players like [Erling]…

— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) December 12, 2023

The center-back further added, “This is how it was with Haaland. I live for those moments. It is tough to defend against tall players like [Erling] Haaland or [Victor] Osimhen.” Further showing his love for tough challenges, he added, “But I prefer to play against players of this height—rather than players of the height like Lionel Messi for example.”

It is clear that the height factor plays a crucial role in Rudiger’s assessment of a tough opponent. The Manchester City striker stands at an imposing 6 feet 4 inches while Lionel Messi stands at a comparatively modest height of 5 feet 7 inches. But this height factor isn’t a reason for Antoine Griezmann who recently snubbed Haaland and picked La Pulga to build the perfect forward.

Antoine Griezmann builds his perfect forward with Lionel Messi in it

Just a few days ago, Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann sat down in an interview with ESPN UK. Here he was asked to create his ideal forward by selecting traits from various soccer superstars. When it came to technique, the Frenchman chose Lionel Messi, and for strength, he chose Cristiano Ronaldo.

‘Robbed’ of Ballon d’Or, Erling Haaland Needs To Win the FIFA Club World Cup To Succeed Lionel Messi, Says Journalist

However, Griezmann did not select Erling Haaland for any of the qualities. While the Norwegian striker has been an absolute goal-scoring machine in recent years, it apparently still isn’t enough for Griezmann to put him alongside Ronaldo and Messi.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.

WATCH THIS STORY: Soccer Stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Make a Huge Assist for Esports Space