10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[spark]

"When you think of Maradona, you think of his goal against England. You think of the images of him lifting the World Cup. Even if you never lived in his era, that’s what the world around you has fed you. The idea of a perfect player who won on his own. The idea of the mythical God-figure who never failed. A bit of a rough-edged footballing rockstar who was forgiven for all his flaws because he was and is Maradona."

I lived though that era and Maradona won the world cup on his own with a much weaker side than this current Argentina side.

He was better than Messi and it is at the world cup where great players are defined. No-one puts Cruyff up there with Pele, Maradona or Zidane for that reason as well.

Maybe if Messi had of been playing in the world cup a couple of years ago when he was at his peak things might have been different but honestly I don't think so. Maradona was just better.

He didn't win anything on his own. The team wasn't weaker either.

 

[DB10]

Cannavaro should have won in 2006, but it doesn't fit the fairytale. The great man was supposed to return and lead France to another triumph and retire glorious. Same for Messi, doesn't quite correlate with what happens on the pitch.

 

[JamDav1982]

"When you think of Maradona, you think of his goal against England. You think of the images of him lifting the World Cup. Even if you never lived in his era, that’s what the world around you has fed you. The idea of a perfect player who won on his own. The idea of the mythical God-figure who never failed. A bit of a rough-edged footballing rockstar who was forgiven for all his flaws because he was and is Maradona."

I lived though that era and Maradona won the world cup on his own with a much weaker side than this current Argentina side.

He was better than Messi and it is at the world cup where great players are defined. No-one puts Cruyff up there with Pele, Maradona or Zidane for that reason as well.

Maybe if Messi had of been playing in the world cup a couple of years ago when he was at his peak things might have been different but honestly I don't think so. Maradona was just better.

That Argentina team that Maradona played in was not weaker than this one.

It was made up largely of players from Argentina club sides that were the best in South America at the time.

Ruggeri was far superior to any defender in this current Argentina team and Burachaga and Valdano in 1986 than anything Messi had to help him this time round.

Its a total myth that Maradona turned a group of no hopers into world beaters.

 

[Kohe321]

This is a great article that deserves to be posted here as well. Really agree with everything in this one too:

http://www.barcablaugranes.com/2014...-lionel-messi-deservedly-wins-the-golden-ball

 

[Flavia]

That Argentina team that Maradona played in was not weaker than this one.

It was made up largely of players from Argentina club sides that were the best in South America at the time.

Ruggeri was far superior to any defender in this current Argentina team and Burachaga and Valdano in 1986 than anything Messi had to help him this time round.

Its a total myth that Maradona turned a group of no hopers into world beaters.

Different times helped building this myth. Being 28 years ago helps too. I can only imagine how maradona would deal with today's press. If Messi, a "schoolboy", xan be hated as he is now, just imagine maradona and his crazy personality.

 

[Icarium]

I don't buy the maradona winning 1986 world cup all by himself. That man did not even score in a 5 goal final match. He definitely is their best player and he was leader but he got some help from team mates which messi did not get. Everything had to go from messi. I don't know how good maradona was and i don't care either. For me messi is the best and the whole world can think maradona is better i could not care less.

 

[Ryan_Cule]

That Argentina team that Maradona played in was not weaker than this one.

It was made up largely of players from Argentina club sides that were the best in South America at the time.

Ruggeri was far superior to any defender in this current Argentina team and Burachaga and Valdano in 1986 than anything Messi had to help him this time round.

Its a total myth that Maradona turned a group of no hopers into world beaters.

I am so happy. For the first time ever I am agreeing with Jam Jam!! Burachaga and Valdano even scored in the final. Maradona didn't. Apparently Maradona even missed a penalty in the knockout stages.

 

[Hamzah]

Different times helped building this myth. Being 28 years ago helps too. I can only imagine how maradona would deal with today's press. If Messi, a "schoolboy", xan be hated as he is now, just imagine maradona and his crazy personality.

People would like Diego nowadays, he is a Charlie Sheen character.

 

[Mitchell1978]

"When you think of Maradona, you think of his goal against England. You think of the images of him lifting the World Cup. Even if you never lived in his era, that’s what the world around you has fed you. The idea of a perfect player who won on his own. The idea of the mythical God-figure who never failed. A bit of a rough-edged footballing rockstar who was forgiven for all his flaws because he was and is Maradona."

I lived though that era and Maradona won the world cup on his own with a much weaker side than this current Argentina side.

He was better than Messi and it is at the world cup where great players are defined. No-one puts Cruyff up there with Pele, Maradona or Zidane for that reason as well.

Maybe if Messi had of been playing in the world cup a couple of years ago when he was at his peak things might have been different but honestly I don't think so. Maradona was just better.

lol, Cruyff was a better player then Zidane and is generally ranked much higher. A lof of French experts say Platini was a better player then Zidane also.

 

[MagIX]

"When you think of Maradona, you think of his goal against England. You think of the images of him lifting the World Cup. Even if you never lived in his era, that’s what the world around you has fed you. The idea of a perfect player who won on his own. The idea of the mythical God-figure who never failed. A bit of a rough-edged footballing rockstar who was forgiven for all his flaws because he was and is Maradona."

I lived though that era and Maradona won the world cup on his own with a much weaker side than this current Argentina side.

He was better than Messi and it is at the world cup where great players are defined. No-one puts Cruyff up there with Pele, Maradona or Zidane for that reason as well.

Maybe if Messi had of been playing in the world cup a couple of years ago when he was at his peak things might have been different but honestly I don't think so. Maradona was just better.

I lived though that era but i absolutely i do not think the same.

For me, as i have written many times, Maradona is better than Messi even if he wouldnt has won the WC 86, and even if Messi would win 2 WC i still consider Maradona better than him.

 

[Kerrybai]

"When you think of Maradona, you think of his goal against England. You think of the images of him lifting the World Cup. Even if you never lived in his era, that’s what the world around you has fed you. The idea of a perfect player who won on his own. The idea of the mythical God-figure who never failed. A bit of a rough-edged footballing rockstar who was forgiven for all his flaws because he was and is Maradona."

I lived though that era and Maradona won the world cup on his own with a much weaker side than this current Argentina side.

He was better than Messi and it is at the world cup where great players are defined. No-one puts Cruyff up there with Pele, Maradona or Zidane for that reason as well.

Maybe if Messi had of been playing in the world cup a couple of years ago when he was at his peak things might have been different but honestly I don't think so. Maradona was just better.

Keep on telling yourself that

Sports science and advancement in conditioning etc make Messi objectively number 1. You can say Maradona was better but Maradona played in a different era where players didn't match up to today's standards. In 30 years time someone will surpass Messi for this reason too.

Today's players collectively are far better than those in the 80's. It's the same in every single sport on earth, tennis, rugby, american football etc.

 

[Mitchell1978]

I don't buy the maradona winning 1986 world cup all by himself. That man did not even score in a 5 goal final match. He definitely is their best player and he was leader but he got some help from team mates which messi did not get. Everything had to go from messi. I don't know how good maradona was and i don't care either. For me messi is the best and the whole world can think maradona is better i could not care less.

Messi would have loved having someone of Valdano's quality at his side.

 

[JamDav1982]

Different times helped building this myth. Being 28 years ago helps too. I can only imagine how maradona would deal with today's press. If Messi, a "schoolboy", xan be hated as he is now, just imagine maradona and his crazy personality.

Yeah that is something I always argue as well - Maradona was not cut out to lead a big club week in week out he didnt have the personality or dedication for it.

Often at Napoli he would only train if he felt like it etc.

The other thing about Maradona is that he was a proven drugs cheat who thinks it is funny to tell a story of Argentina drugging Brazil players in 1990.

 

[DonAndres]

I don't think any of you should downplay Maradona's World Cup as it was the greatest individual performance at the tournament in history, but the myth comes from the idea that it was only him who performed while everyone else was shit.

 

[KhaledBarca]