When Barcelona came to Los Angeles for a pre-season friendly in 2006, Ronaldinho famously introduced a young Lionel Messi to the basketball great Kobe Bryant.

"Kobe Bryant, one of my favorite athletes of all time," he said. "So I knew if I ever got the chance to wear number eight, you know, just like when I picked number 10, Messi was my favorite soccer ...

Messi came off the bench for the final half hour ... Shota Aria and the second cleared off the line by the Vissel Kobe defense. After a 0-0 draw in regulation, the match went to penalty kicks ...

Messi plundered 672 goals for the Blaugrana ... of an all-time great midfielder that spent five years with Vissel Kobe after bidding farewell to Barca in 2018. A contest that is being billed ...

He places behind Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, and Lionel Messi on the list, and is the highest-ranked basketball player ...

Another player who revolutionized the game of basketball is the late Kobe Bryant, as his global impact was comparable to that of soccer legend Lionel Messi today. Unfortunately, Bryant tragically ...