Messi is better than Maradona, says Ramos

Soccer Football - World Cup - Argentina - Bronnitsy, Russia - June 20, 2018. A giant painting of Argentina's Lionel Messi is seen on the wall of the building REUTERS/Albert Gea

KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) - Spain captain Sergio Ramos has responded to a putdown from Argentina great Diego Maradona by making an unlikely declaration of admiration for Lionel Messi, his usual enemy as the talisman of Real Madrid's arch-rivals Barcelona.

Maradona, his country's 1986 World Cup-winning captain, remarked this week that "Ramos is no superstar, the real superstar defender is Diego Godin" when comparing Spain's serial-winner Ramos with the Uruguay captain.