'It helps when you've got Messi' - Former Portsmouth and Wolves duo face social media backlash following verdicts on retiring Barcelona defender Gerard Pique

The one-time Fratton Park players have been ridiculed on Twitter after questioning the multiple Champions League and La Liga winner’s standing in the game while presenting on talkSPORT.

Pique is to call time on his trophy-laden playing career following Barca’s game against Almeria at the Nou Camp this weekend.

He will hang up his boots after securing eight La Liga crowns, three Champions League winner’s medals and seven Copa del Rey titles.

The Barcelona youth product also won 102 caps for Spain, helping them win the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championships.

But according to O’Hara and Pennant, who have two Community Shield winner’s medals and a League Cup success between them, the 35-year-old only had enjoyed success because of the players around him – And that doesn’t make him one of the game’s great-ever players.

'If you are just talking on trophies, then okay, but as a player, I'm not pointing Gerard Pique as one of the greats. I can't’, said Pennant on a clip posted on Twitter by talkSPORT.

European football expert, Kevin Hatchard, is then heard defending the Barca player by saying: 'I just think you can't have a 14-year career at Barcelona, won what he's won, played for the coaches he's played for, stay in that team, play over 100 times for Spain and win the World Cup and win the Euros and be no good and not be a top-class defender’.

However, he’s quickly interupted by O’Hara, who insists: ‘It helps when you've got Messi in your side, though... Neymar, Ineista, Xavi, Busquets, Jordi Alba, Danny Alves’, before he adds (Carles) Puyol to the mix.

The former Spurs midfielder then goes on to say: ‘He was probably the worst player in that Barcelona team’, before Pennant chips in again by saying: ‘True statement, and that's why I'm, Mmmmm as a great legend'.

The Twitter video has been viewed nearly 180,000 at the time of writing.

And it seems many who have watched it have taken umbrage at the duo’s comments.

@KevyDo7 wrote: ‘This coming from let’s face it two bang average premier league players who would have only dreamed to have won what Pique did! This is laughable from these two!!!’

@courts199311 commented: ‘Imagine being Pique and hearing these two joeys (especially pennant ) saying they don’t think your a legend of the game?

‘This disrespect needs to stop seriously’.

@MSultanMahmoud said: ‘Two below average footballers speaking about a guy who won everything (regardless of his attitude)’.

’This is coming from a couple of enormous under achievers, where do you get these eejits from?’, wrote @EricStr04446845.

‘Are Jermaine Pennant and Jamie O’Hara really in a position to consider themselves the authority on what makes a legend?

‘Both of them are washed up ex-pros who achieved very little in the game’, was @jamminbenj’s view.

Meanwhile, @jamesbmufc7 commented: ‘I don’t think the likes of Jamie O’Hara and Jermaine Pennant are qualified to decide who the greats are’.

Fratton favourite O’Hara played 29 times for Pompey and won the 2009-10 News/Sports Mail Blues Player of the Season award before having spells at Wolves, Blackpool, Fulham and Billericay.

Pennant spent five months on loan at Pompey from Liverpool during the second half of the 2008-09 campaign.

The winger featured 14 times for the Blues without scoring.

After leaving Fratton Park, the now 39-year-old left Anfield the same summer and had stints at Real Zaragoza, Wolves, Wigan, Bury and Billericay.