Johan Cruyff took centre stage at the second Aspire4Sport Congress in Berlin.

When asked about the differences between this season's inconsistent Barcelona side and the team of recent campaigns, he expressed his discomfort at his apparent role as an authority on the Catalan club. "Yes, of course I can see the differences between this Barcelona side and others. Can't you? All I do is express my opinion when you ask me, not criticise", he told a reporter. "I think it's easy to understand if you look at their midfield. They're all very different footballers".

Regarding the ongoing debate about Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he said: "I've always liked smaller, more technically gifted players because I was one. Cristiano is a great player but he's a goalscorer. He'll never be that creative player you build a team around, the one in charge of how a team plays. His job is the end product, the goal. On the other hand, Messi is much more of a team player: he passes the ball, notches up no end of assists... In my opinion, there is a huge difference between a great player and a goalscorer".

To conclude, Cruyff made it very clear who his favourite for the Ballon d'Or is. "There's no discussion, nobody is on the same level as Messi. I'd give it to him again".