‘Stupid to suggest Messi needs move from Barcelona’ – Carragher doesn’t rank Ronaldo higher for having changed clubs

The former Liverpool defender spent his entire career at Anfield and does not believe that being a one-club man should impact on any greatness debate

Lionel Messi does not need a move away from in order to enhance his legacy, says Jamie Carragher, with it “stupid” to suggest that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner should follow the lead of eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese superstar has taken on a number of different challenges over the course of his career.

Ronaldo started out in his homeland with , before going on to take in spells with , and .

In contrast, Messi has remained loyal to Barca after stepping out of their famed La Masia academy system and has been tipped to hang up his boots as a one-club man.

Questions have often been asked of whether the Argentine could enjoy the same level of success outside of Spain as he has with the Liga heavyweights, with switches to Italy and England having been mooted at various intervals.

Former defender Carragher, who spent all of his playing days at Anfield, does not share the opinion that Messi needs to prove himself outside of Barca in order to top the list of all-time greats.

“It’s just stupid. It’s absolutely daft,” Carragher told CaughtOffside of that debate.

“He’s at the top club, he’s the best player there, he’s the best player in Europe.

“The best show up against the best on the biggest occasions and that’s what he does so I don’t really listen (to other’s opinions). Fair play to Ronaldo and well done, but it’s not something to criticise Messi for.”

Carragher believes Ronaldo has traded clubs in an effort to prove a point to those who continue to compare him with Messi.

The ex- international added: “I think that’s why Ronaldo’s moved. I think he knows that he’s always been seen as just behind Messi, so I think Ronaldo’s quite clever.

“I can say I’ve won the league in all these countries, been the top scorer in all these countries and these are more strings to my bow … I also think he probably does the opposite to what Messi does to try and paint himself as being slightly different.

“Listen, I don’t think of Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini being any less of a defender because they never left . So that’s not going to change me with Lionel Messi not leaving Barcelona. I mean, why would you leave Barcelona?”