Not Lionel Messi: Ezequiel Lavezzi reveals the greatest forward he’s ever played with

Former Argentina international Ezequiel Lavezzi, who once shared the pitch with Lionel Messi, revealed the forward he had the strongest on-field chemistry with—and it wasn’t the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Ezequiel Lavezzi had a standout career across Europe and South America, featuring for Argentina’s national team alongside Lionel Messi, while also leaving a mark at Napoli, and Paris Saint–Germain. But when asked about the forward he connected with best on the pitch, his answer raised a few eyebrows.

Despite his chemistry with Messi at the international level and a stint playing with Zlatan Ibrahimović at PSG, Lavezzi pointed to another name entirely: Edinson Cavani. In an interview with Terzo Tempo Calcio Napoli on TeleVomero, the retired striker said his strongest bond was with the Uruguayan star.

“I have a special relationship with Cavani. He’s at Boca now, but we still talk about Napoli all the time,” Lavezzi said. “Sometimes I tag him on Instagram and we remember all the great moments we lived”. Then came the surprise: “Without a doubt, he’s one of the best forwards I’ve played with. And look, I played with Messi.” He added: “In his position, he’s one of the strongest”.

Lavezzi spoke about Cavani with pride and admiration: “Those memories will always stay with us. I gave him many assists, and he returned the favor. So many beautiful things”. And when asked to choose between Cavani and Ibrahimović, Lavezzi laughed and said, “Don’t get me in trouble!”

Lavezzi and Messi’s time together on the national stage

Lavezzi and Messi’s partnership was limited to the Argentina national team, but it began early with the U-20 squad and continued through the senior level. They won gold together at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after defeating the Netherlands 2–1 in the final.

In total, the two shared the pitch in 40 matches for La Albiceleste. While they didn’t win a senior title together, they came close—finishing as runners-up in the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Copa América. During their time together, Messi assisted Lavezzi on two goals, while the former PSG star returned the favor six times.

Lavezzi and Cavani’s trophy run

Lavezzi’s history with Cavani goes far deeper. They played a combined 146 matches together across Napoli and PSG, winning an impressive 11 trophies during their partnership.

With Napoli:

• Coppa Italia (2012)

With PSG:

• Ligue 1 (2014, 2015, 2016)
• Coupe de la Ligue (2014, 2015, 2016)
• Coupe de France (2015, 2016)
• Trophée des Champions (2014, 2015)

Credit: Bolavip US