Kevin-Prince Boateng said Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the best player he has played with as the Barcelona midfielder overlooked superstar team-mate Lionel Messi.
Boateng has played alongside some of the world's greatest footballers, and Ibrahimovic stands out for the former Ghana international.
Ibrahimovic and Boateng were team-mates at AC Milan, with the pair helping the Serie A giants win the 2010-11 Scudetto.
Asked to name the best player he has played with, Boateng told Barcelona TV in a Q&A: "Zlatan Ibrahimovic."
Boateng's answer came as a surprise, given he plays with five-time Ballon d'Or winner and Barca's all-time leading goalscorer Messi.
The 32-year-old, who completed a shock loan move to Barca in January, was forced to dismiss suggestions of a past allegiance to Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo following his Camp Nou arrival.
Boateng lauded Messi as the best player "in this world and every world" during his official presentation after past quotes declaring himself a Madrid fan and describing Ronaldo as the world's best resurfaced.
Messi has scored 39 goals in all competitions this season, while Boateng has only made three appearances since swapping Sassuolo for Barca on loan.
The Blaugrana are currently top of La Liga by 10 points, with a Champions League quarterfinal to look forward to against Manchester United in April and a Copa del Rey final against Valencia to take in the following month.
Barca's first game back after the international break is a home clash with Espanyol on Saturday, with Messi expected to shake off a knock he picked up while playing for Argentina.
Source: Goal
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