Maradona or Messi

[antonnn]

Well like I said in the past, in terms of the NT they are very similar. A 22 year old Diego went to win the WC in 82 and got KO'd, Messi did the same at 23. Then aged 26 in Mexico Diego came up and won, Messi at aged 27 in Brazil could very well win it. His last chance to win one will be in 2018 at 31 I'd say. Diego still managed a final at 30, champion. His role at Napoli is also what makes him a legend, despite not winning a CL.

 

[AnfieldEd]

Well like I said in the past, in terms of the NT they are very similar. A 22 year old Diego went to win the WC in 82 and got KO'd, Messi did the same at 23. Then aged 26 in Mexico Diego came up and won, Messi at aged 27 in Brazil could very well win it. His last chance to win one will be in 2018 at 31 I'd say. Diego still managed a final at 30, champion. His role at Napoli is also what makes him a legend, despite not winning a CL.

Definitely.

His time at Napoli and the fact he won the world cup almost by himself - and let's face it without el diego in 86 argentina would be nothing - makes me put him on a pedestal that no one comes close to at the moment.

Whether you like it or not, whether Barca fans like it or not the perception will be that Maradona has done it with the Argies and lead them to victory, something Messi hasn't done....yet. Perception will make people think that because of this Maradona is above Messi and that Messi needs a world cup to put him ahead of El Diego.

Well that is the perception of the public.

I don't follow that perception, but I do think El Diego was the greatest of all time and I always will, no matter what Messi does. Because I grew up with Maradona in his prime, I watched him beating teams on his own whilst he was on coke and just taking the piss out of teams by himself.

 

[antonnn]

Yeah pretty much, he was a troll. LOL I'M OFF MY HEAD AND YOU CAN'T TOUCH ME.

Diego Maradona, the original and ultimate troll and best player in Football history. What. A. Bastard.

 

[xaviniesta]

Definitely.

Because I grew up with Maradona in his prime, I watched him beating teams on his own whilst he was on coke and just taking the piss out of teams by himself.

lucky you. i\ve alwasys wanted to see these players in the past, it's just not the same watching videos and reading stuff that happened in the past.

did you also follow brazil in the 80's with socrates etc ?

 

[La LL]

Well like I said in the past, in terms of the NT they are very similar. A 22 year old Diego went to win the WC in 82 and got KO'd, Messi did the same at 23. Then aged 26 in Mexico Diego came up and won, Messi at aged 27 in Brazil could very well win it. His last chance to win one will be in 2018 at 31 I'd say. Diego still managed a final at 30, champion. His role at Napoli is also what makes him a legend, despite not winning a CL.

Nah, there's a good chance he'll be playing in the 2022 as well (he'll be 35 which is more or less the retirement age but given his love to play I think we can count on him to play there as well). And Diego only "managed a final at 30" because of his many health issues and drug use.

I think it's safe to say that Messi will play in all of the next three WC (and then he'll die along with some 20 other players in the Qatari heat, but let's leave those problems for FIFA to solve then).

But yes, he's still got two and a half seasons until Brazil 2014 at which point he'll be very experienced, older and hopefully fit to lead Argentina to victory.

 

[Catalonian Devil]

I just can't see Messi being 30+ years old.

Just doesn't sound right.

 

[Chainsaw]

Maradona also played in WC 1994 at the age of 34. It'll be no surprise if Messi does so at the age of 35.

 

[antonnn]

I feel Diego was a better all round player which lead him to be able to still play well at older ages, I don't think Messi will be as good at a similar age. Plus, if he's at a WC at 35 he very well probably won't be a key player and even if they win it he won't the credit. He needs to win one of the next 2 and be key, then his career will pretty much be complete.

 

[AnfieldEd]

lucky you. i\ve alwasys wanted to see these players in the past, it's just not the same watching videos and reading stuff that happened in the past.

did you also follow brazil in the 80's with socrates etc ?

I'm not that old!!!!! I was only 1 when Socrates, Zico et al were in their pomp in 82.

1986 was the first world cup that I watched and my first football memories.

 

[Chainsaw]

1986 was the first world cup that I watched and my first football memories.

You have a good memory.

 

[AnfieldEd]

You have a good memory.

I still have the 1986 world cup sticker collection in the loft well not my loft my parents loft

 

[nebeer]

lucky you. i\ve alwasys wanted to see these players in the past, it's just not the same watching videos and reading stuff that happened in the past.

did you also follow brazil in the 80's with socrates etc ?

Yes really lucky you, I wish somewhere I found DVDs on Maradona's entire career and could watch all his games. Does anyone know if I can get his full games somehow/somewhere?

 

[beautifulgame]

Definitely.

His time at Napoli and the fact he won the world cup almost by himself - and let's face it without el diego in 86 argentina would be nothing - makes me put him on a pedestal that no one comes close to at the moment.

Whether you like it or not, whether Barca fans like it or not the perception will be that Maradona has done it with the Argies and lead them to victory, something Messi hasn't done....yet. Perception will make people think that because of this Maradona is above Messi and that Messi needs a world cup to put him ahead of El Diego.

Well that is the perception of the public.

I don't follow that perception, but I do think El Diego was the greatest of all time and I always will, no matter what Messi does. Because I grew up with Maradona in his prime, I watched him beating teams on his own whilst he was on coke and just taking the piss out of teams by himself.

stopped reading at the end of the bold...

he had a good team around him. any football savvy argentine of the time will tell you the same.

 

[La Furia]

stopped reading at the end of the bold...

he had a good team around him. any football savvy argentine of the time will tell you the same.

The team was built around him though, as in designed to allow Maradona to individually control the attack when necessary. A lot of great players like Diaz and Passarella were frozen out because it was essentially Maradona's team.

The idea that players like Valdano, Ruggeri, Brown, etc were scrubs is absurd, but Bilardo definitely picked players who wouldn't get in Maradona's way. I can't think of another WC winning team that did rely so much on one player for their attack.

 

[VivaBarca]

Why does no one mention Maradona's lack of a European Cup, which for me is more relevant than a World Cup, which Messi lacks.

Plus Napoli were an excellent team before Maradona joined, they finished 3rd the season before he joined so Napoli weren't exactly a one man team.