Former Barcelona midfielder Arthur Melo has called Real Madrid the best team in the world. The Brazilian, who now plays for Girona, faced Real Madrid in a LaLiga match on Sunday (February 23). He came off the bench but couldn’t help his team avoid a 2-0 loss.
After the match, Arthur spoke to the media and said (via Madrid Xtra on X):
“Real Madrid is the best club in the world right now.”
Arthur joined Barcelona in 2018 from Brazilian club Gremio for around €31 million. He played 72 games for Barcelona, scoring four goals and providing six assists. During his time there, he helped the club win LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup. In 2020, he moved to Juventus for about €80.6 million.
So far, Arthur has played against Real Madrid six times. He won three matches, drew one, and lost two.
Ronaldo Nazario on Why He Left Barcelona and Joined Real Madrid
Former Real Madrid star Ronaldo Nazario recently talked about why he left Barcelona early in his career. The Brazilian legend is one of the few players who played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
In a discussion with DAZN (via Managing Madrid), Ronaldo said:
“I was ready to sign a new contract with Barcelona at the end of the season. Then I went to Brazil for vacation. Five days later, the club called me and told me the extension wouldn’t happen. It wasn’t my choice—I wanted to stay. But if the club didn’t value me, it was out of my hands. I would have loved to stay.”
Talking about his move to Real Madrid, Ronaldo said:
“I joined Madrid because I always wanted to play there. It was my dream. I worked hard to make it happen. Roberto Carlos, my teammate in the Brazil national team, always told me about how amazing Real Madrid was. That left a big impression on me, and after some years, I wanted to experience it myself.”
“The truth is, Real Madrid was even bigger than what he told me! There was always huge pressure because the best players in the world played there. I loved knowing that I could help make the club even greater.”
Ronaldo played 49 games for Barcelona, scoring 47 goals and providing 13 assists. Later, at Real Madrid, he made 177 appearances, scored 103 goals, and provided 34 assists.
