Former Ghanaian defender Sam Johnson has rejected the temptation to wade into the debate of who was the better player between Ghanaian football great, Mohammed Polo and Argentine football icon Lionel Messi. He explained that both players were gifted with dribbling skills and the ability to impact games, but he could not determine the best among the two. However, he acknowledged that Polo was a brilliant player during his generation, considering the fact that they did not have much protection from referees as compared to today. Sam Johnson stated that Messi is one of the greats in football, but Polo did amazingly well while he was playing, refusing to choose the best among the two. “If you’re looking at skill and everything, Polo is good. The protection that this generation has, they didn’t have. Somebody like Maradona and others didn’t have that protection you have today. The kicking and tackling you received before jumping, dodging, and going was very tough. “So, if they could do the things they did at that time, and if they were in this present time, I think they could do more. Today, if you kick somebody, they will call you, so now the protection is so big, that’s the difference. It’s going to be tough [choosing between the two]. But Polo, with what I saw, was something else,” he said during an interview with Sporty FM. Polo has said that, with his exploits during his playing days, he was a better footballer than Messi, regardless of his achievements in the sport. He was a member of the Black Stars team that won the 1978 African Cup of Nations (AFCON). Watch Mohammed Polo’s remarks in the video below: Was prime Mohammed Polo better than Lionel Messi? Sam Johnson gives his take… pic.twitter.com/fTtXO7PV6t — #SportyFMIsHere (@SportyFM_) February 20, 2025 Watch the latest edition of Sports Debate below