'I understood Messi & Ronaldo perfectly'
No footballer has appeared alongside the deadly pair Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo more often than the former Juventus and Argentina ace Gonzalo Higuain.
The former Napoli, Chelsea and Milan man now plays at Major League Soccer club Miami FC, and has explained why he considers himself to be the perfect partner for both Ballon d'Or winners.
"If I am the footballer who has played most with the two, then I was the guy who best understood both of them," he explained to La Nacion.
"To understand Cristiano and Messi… it's not their problem, it's up to you. If I played the most with them, it's because I understand them both perfectly. I knew what they liked, what they didn't like, how they felt most comfortable and most uncomfortable.
"I think that what they liked about me was that I… how can I say it without sounding boastful… that I didn't try to fight for 100 per cent of the play with them. So they felt they could also depend on me.
"When they have a player on their side who depends on them 100%, they don't feel they are free of all responsibility. But with me, I think they felt they could count on me. They are two totally different players and I had the privilege of enjoying and learning from both."
Despite his impeccable scoring record at both club and international level, Higuain is also remembered for the chances he didn't convert with Argentina - notably, a golden opportunity in the 2014 World Cup final that he shanked wide and a costly shoot-out miss the following year as the Albiceleste lost out to Chile in the Copa America.
"Until 2014 I was the best No.9 in the world, and after Germany it was all over," he admitted.
"Before that I had hit nine goals in the qualifiers, something nobody talks about, because let's not forget you have to score in the qualifiers to get to the World Cup.
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