‘It wasn’t just me!’ – Ashley Cole on how Chelsea stopped Messi

Ashley Cole is midway via saying that Lionel Messi solely scored one objective towards Chelsea throughout his eight-year spell at Stamford Bridge when he realises that the Barcelona famous person truly by no means netted towards his Blues.

So, how did he do it, then? Certainly, the previous full-back is aware of the key to stopping arguably the best participant in historical past?

“It wasn’t simply me!” a smiling Cole stresses throughout an interview with Purpose as a part of the Nissan UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour.

“That is been thrown about however the workforce effort was huge. When it got here to stopping gamers like him, we had a terrific workforce understanding and togetherness at Chelsea.

“Our midfield was integral in that regard. It definitely wasn’t simply me. I wasn’t self-praising there by pointing that out!”

Certainly, Cole proves nothing however humble as he picks his good participant.

Whereas choosing Brazil legend Cafu for his stamina, the previous England worldwide admits, “I assumed I had an excellent engine however after I got here up towards him, I used to be left on my knees!

“I even later performed towards him in a charity recreation for David Beckham and I do not understand how previous he was on the time however he nonetheless had the stamina he had at 20 or 25 years of age! He was continuous, a machine.”

Then, in explaining his selection of Arjen Robben’s left foot forward of all others, Cole concedes, “I performed towards him for Roma and he completely destroyed me!”

Cole, although, was for a few years the perfect left-back on the planet, a superb defender who was additionally unbelievable going ahead.

He loved quite a few memorable battles with Cristiano Ronaldo throughout the Portuguese’s stint within the Premier League, when he was primarily used as a winger by Manchester United.

Cole arguably fared higher than anybody towards a participant who he says had the perfect proper foot he ever got here throughout.

“I used to be going to say David Beckham right here, as a result of I feel he might put a ball on a sixpence, however I feel I’ll go for Ronaldo,” the 40-year-old muses.

“Ronaldo might go in and out. Additionally, the standard of his proper foot, the standard of his capturing from each angle and totally different ranges, the standard of his free-kicks with the bend he might get on the ball, he was unbelievable.

“He was one you simply could not give any house to. So, it was about being on the entrance foot, being aggressive and making an attempt to get out to him and never let him get his head up and begin doing the stepovers.

“It was about understanding that ‘I can not let balls go in behind me.’ I needed to permit them go to his toes, however get out fast to him and cease him at supply.”

That tactic did not typically work towards Ronaldinho, although. As Cole admits, generally he was simply left awestruck by the flowery footwork of the Brazilian, whom he names as essentially the most skilful attacker he ever confronted.

“Regardless that I used to be in battles towards him, generally I might giggle to myself when he pulled off a loopy piece of ability or nutmegged somebody,” the Chelsea academy coach enthuses.

“At the same time as you are taking part in towards him, you get pleasure from watching him play. The best way he floated throughout that turf, doing stepovers, discovering passes with each occasion of his foot… He was like a magician.

“You see quite a lot of gamers who really feel like they’ve the talents however he was environment friendly, too; he did it in the best areas. He reduce groups aside along with his ability. He had the whole lot.”

Ronaldinho additionally scored three objectives towards Chelsea however, curiously, not one throughout Cole’s time on the membership. The World Cup winner has that in frequent with former Barca team-mate Messi.

Not that Cole will take any credit score for that coincidence, in fact…