Lionel Messi is “the best player ever - with or without a World Cup”, says Cesc Fabregas, with the Barcelona superstar considered to be more “complete” than Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo. It is rare for two iconic figures and serious contenders to the title of the greatest of all time to be competing in the same era, but that is what a modern day audience have been treated to. Messi and Ronaldo have shared 10 Ballons d’Or between them during a decade of dominance, while collecting countless domestic and European honours with their respective club sides. The latter has also tasted international success at Euro 2016 with Portugal, but the former is back chasing down a World Cup crown on Russian soil this summer after enduring a number of near misses with Argentina in the past. Regardless of whether Messi proves successful in that pursuit, former Barca team-mate Fabregas believes the mercurial 30-year-old will be remembered as the finest player to have played the game, telling the Daily Telegraph: “For me, Leo will always be the best player ever, with or without the World Cup. “Of course, I know when we talk in 20 or 30 years, if you win the World Cup, the future generations who do not watch him now will be even more clear on the fact Leo was the best because they can say ‘he won a World Cup’. “But people who have played with him or know about football will tell you he is the best and the most complete player ever. “Cristiano is fantastic and everyone admires him for what he does, the guy is a competitor. “But talent-wise and when we talk about the complete player, Leo became the best goalscorer ever, became the best passer ever, he can score with both feet, his head, he can dribble around four players. “He has vision to make assists, he is the most complete ever, no doubt. “People want to put Leo up against Cristiano and of course they both need each other to make themselves better, but we are talking about different teams, different groups, different moments. “I think they just respect each other and get on with it. It’s been going on too long for either of them to get annoyed by it.” Ronaldo was back among the goals in his last World Cup outing, taking his tally for the tournament to four with the winner for Portugal against Morocco, while Messi will take to the field with Argentina on Thursday when they go in search of a much-needed victory against Croatia.

Gareth Bale's agent says Real Madrid must assure the Wales star he will feature more regularly next season if they are to keep him. Bale threw his future at the club into doubt after last month's Champions League final win over Liverpool, expressing his unhappiness over a lack of game-time under Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman has since left the club, with former Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui in the hot seat for the 2018-19 season. Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has suggested Lopetegui will need to find a regular place for the attacker or he could seek to leave the Santiago Bernabeu. "I think we have to have a chat with Real Madrid and see where we're going," Barnett told Sky Sports News. "He wants a better year than he had last year. He wants to play more, and that's paramount to him. "I think he's one of the top three or four players on Earth. For somebody like him, he has to play. It's not about money. "He wants to win the Ballon d'Or and I think he can." Bale scored twice in the 3-1 win over Liverpool in Kiev - the first a stunning overhead kick - to help Los Blancos claim a third consecutive Champions League title. While Barnett insists his client has nothing to prove, he knows that high-profile impact has put him in a strong position. "I think that goal elevated an interest in him. But we already knew how good he is," Bale's agent said.  "He doesn't need to prove how good he is. It was a magnificent goal and the timing was great too. "He loves his life in Spain. He has three children, and he's very happy there. But we have to see. He has to play football."

Eden Hazard has been told by former Belgium assistant manager Vital Borkelmans that “now is the moment” to leave Chelsea, while Thibaut Courtois, Marouane Fellaini and Toby Alderweireld are also tipped to be on the move. A difficult 2017-18 campaign for Chelsea and the ongoing uncertainty that has brought in both a playing and coaching capacity has seen plenty of high-profile figures linked with summer moves away from Stamford Bridge. Hazard is chief among them, with the 27-year-old playmaker having been mooted as a Real Madrid target for some time now as he continues to leave the exit door open in west London. Borkelmans believes this could be the summer in which a big-money transfer is done, with the time having arrived for a man considered to be a member of the global elite to prove that he truly belongs in that company. He told bwin: “I think now is the moment that Hazard has to move, which will most likely be to Spain. “He has played a lot of years in the Premier League, but I think it’s time for him to move on.” Hazard could well be joined in Spain next season by current club and international colleague Courtois, with the Chelsea goalkeeper another long-standing target for Madrid. Borkelmans added on the 26-year-old’s future: “If the club are offered good money, then I think he will go. “He likes Chelsea and is happy there, but it could be time for him to make a transfer to another country for a different type of competition.” While Chelsea may be facing a fight to keep two prized assets, they are expected to welcome another Belgian back onto their books in the form of Michy Batshuayi – who impressed on loan at Borussia Dortmund last season before picking up an unfortunate injury. “Batshuayi won’t leave until he finds out what’s going on with the managerial status at Chelsea,” said Borkelmans. “He wants to play first-team football, but if Chelsea find a new manager and Batshuayi fits the role, then he will stay. “He was successful at Dortmund and they will want to keep him, so that’s always an option, but he is a great player, especially in the box, as he always has a knack of finding space.” Of the other Belgians being linked with moves elsewhere this summer, Borkelmans feels the end of the road may have been reached for Fellaini and Alderweireld at Manchester United and Tottenham respectively. He said on reported Arsenal target Fellaini: “He may have to leave to find regular football, he likes to play and wants to get a lot of games, but if he can’t then he may have to move on.” And added on United-linked Alderweireld: “I think Alderweireld will leave this window and he may take the chance to move abroad. [Mousa] Dembele may do the same as well, as every team is looking to have a player like Alderweireld or Dembele. “They’ve played a few years at Tottenham now and for as many good players that Tottenham have brought in, they have also lost some.”