Why Luis Suarez is better than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - Cristian Rodriguez

While Ronaldo and Messi are widely regarded as the two best footballers in the world at the moment, Rodriguez believes it is the way Suarez “takes players on like a street footballer” that makes him the “best in the world”.

The former Atletico Madrid midfielder, who is now playing for Argentine club Independiente, believes that Suarez’s style of play is what separates him, even from his fellow La Liga superstars.

"Suarez is better than Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, that's the way I see it,” Rodriguez told Argentina’s TyC Sports. “He doesn't mess around, he bears down on you and takes players on like a street footballer, which is why for me he's the best in the world."

Suarez was recently named among the three-man shortlist for UEFA’s Best Player in Europe award along with Messi and Ronaldo, unsurprisingly.

The former Liverpool forward scored 16 goals and provided 14 assists in his first season in La Liga, while Messi and Ronaldo have each topped 25 league goals for the last six full seasons.

The fact that Rodriguez played with Suarez for Uruguay may or may not have a huge bearing on his judgement. Granted, Suarez is a very fine player. Granted, his style of play is very direct and impressive. Granted, he can resemble a street footballer in the way he attacks defenders and bears down on goal. But is he better than Ronaldo or Messi? No. Sorry, Cristian, but he really isn’t. Suarez, after a very fine first season at the Camp Nou, could further narrow the gap between himself and the aforementioned pair of superstars, but currently he is not quite in the same category.