Roberto Baggio, one of Italy's greatest legends, joined the eternal debate over the best player in football history, settling his vote in favor of Argentina's Lionel Messi over his compatriot Diego Maradona and Brazil's Pelé.

Football Italia reported that Baggio took part in a discussion featuring several legends of the game, and when asked 'Who is the best of all time?' he said: 'It's very difficult to rank them, because we are talking about the essence of football. These three have always been at the top.'

The Italian star added: 'To this day, I choose Messi for what he has done over 20 years, in terms of quantity and quality. If I have to choose, I will mention his name, but we are talking about three exceptional players.'

Baggio played in three World Cups (1990, 1994, and 1998), and the penalty he missed in the 1994 final against Brazil remains etched in the memory of fans, even 32 years later.

For his part, Marco Materazzi had a different opinion, choosing another player to place on the table of legends. Materazzi said: 'I always say it, for me it's Ronaldo. What he did with two ruined knees, at a speed of 150 km/h, no one has done before him.'

He continued: 'I belong to the baby boom generation, but when I watch his videos on YouTube and see what he used to do, in an era when defenders intervened with extreme violence, you realize he was an alien... indeed he was.'

The former Italy defender added: 'With all respect to Diego, Maradona, Pelé, and Messi, but for me the Phenomenon is the real Ronaldo, with full respect to Cristiano.'

Materazzi won the 2006 World Cup with Italy, scoring two goals in that edition, including the equalizer in the final against France. That tournament was the only one he participated in during his international career.

As for Roberto Baggio, he played in three World Cups (1990, 1994, and 1998), and the penalty he missed in the 1994 final against Brazil remains stuck in the minds of fans to this day.