Van Bommel: Luc Nilis was better than Ronaldinho

Belgium national team manager Mark van Bommel surprised a press conference by declaring former striker Luc Nilis to be the best player he ever played alongside during his career, ranking him above Ronaldinho.

An Unexpected Press Conference Shift

During a media appearance ahead of the national team’s fixture at the Stade de France, walfoot.be reported that Mark van Bommel fielded questions from journalists regarding his past playing career alongside football greats. When a French reporter asked for his perspective on Lionel Messi’s international retirement, the current Red Devils boss brushed the topic aside. Van Bommel noted he spent only a single season with Messi at FC Barcelona during the 2005-2006 campaign and admitted he barely played alongside the Argentine.

The conversation shifted further into the past when a Brazilian journalist questioned Van Bommel about his interactions with prominent Brazilian teammates. Having shared a dressing room with Ronaldinho at Barcelona and Ronaldo at PSV Eindhoven, Van Bommel faced direct inquiries about those high-profile associations. Instead of leaning into the global fame of Ronaldinho, the manager corrected the premise of the questioning.

Van Bommel Names Luc Nilis as Best Teammate

While acknowledging Ronaldinho as an incredible player, Van Bommel insisted that another former teammate surpassed him. “I want to correct you: Ronaldinho was an incredible player, of course, but the best player I played with is Luc Nilis,” Van Bommel stated, according to walfoot.be. This assessment aligns with the view of Brazilian icon Ronaldo, who also crossed paths with Nilis at PSV Eindhoven and previously designated the Belgian forward as the best player he ever performed with.

For Van Bommel, whose managerial duties now focus on preparing the Belgian squad for upcoming international challenges, the memories of his playing days at PSV and Barcelona continue to shape his benchmark for elite talent.

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