Thread: Messi

Originally Posted by Celticbhoy1990

maradona did not play any team on his own, he may have been the better player in the side but you can't take away the fact that 10 other guys were there

plus...you missed the point

my point is that playing really well over a period of a month in a tournament doesn't mean you are and all time consistent star! South Korea example was to show that they were not the 4th best in world but got there

what about greece in the euros? they didn't go on to remain a top club, sometimes in these tournaments both players and clubs achieve things outwith their usual

now diego was usually creative and good im not denying that but club record is better imo as you need consistency every week, which Messi destroys him in every aspect

Eh, no mate, you are missing the point. And yes, Maradona did take napoli to the serie title single handedly. Before him they were nothing, after him they were nothing also. Maradona had consistency every week for a long time.

Originally Posted by Euskadi

I don't know about the latter. His scoring record is phenomenal, he's something like 20 goals off being their all-time top scorer. If he stays there for the rest of his career (and why not) he will set a scoring record I doubt anyone will beat.

Is say xavi and iniesta, and inhis time, eto'o, were all instrumental

you keep referring to only playing well for a month? Did maradona only play well for a month?
As for the napoli team, youve obviously more time to look up statistics than I but did you miss the fact that they have only ever won 2 serie a titles? Both with maradona?
Just looked up some stats. Up to and including his napoli days, Maradona scored 0.57 goals per game. Messi has scored 0.72 goals per game for barca. Considering maradon played in Italy for a large proportion of his career, in a time when it really was the toughest league in the world that is very good.
Now, Im not saying messi isnt good, nor that he isnt one of the best players ever, just that considering when they both played football and what maradona done for teams, messi cant be considered as good as him. Yet

Im stopping this because we are going round in circles. You make valid points but for me I dont think messi is, at the moment, the best player ever

Originally Posted by niall

Im stopping this because we are going round in circles. You make valid points but for me I dont think messi is, at the moment, the best player ever

Thank God someone finally said it.

It's a subjective thing I suppose. A players ability in football doesn't necissarily reflect on statistics either, unlike other sports.

I understand both sides of your argument but I still think messi is the greatest of them all. Just on the basis that he is better to watch than any other, he has the most natural ability combined with fantastic coaching, he is still so young AND he has the goals to game ratios, assists etc.

But even if he didn't he'd be the best I think.

If Messi dropped the togs and shit in the center circle, that shit would be better than Ronaldo and Jose skills put together

Roadster I agree mate!
He is the best player ever for me!
He has done an interesting interview here in the Times Mag, apparently the first ever footballer to be on their front cover http://www.theplayersnet.com/lionel-...ntina-article/

Originally Posted by niall

until he does what maradona done for argentina, then yes. It is close though

People always bring this up but fail to realize that there are 10 other players on a team. Messi is not surrounded by the same team that Maradona was, nor are Messi and Argentina facing the same opposition that Maradona and Argentina faced in his day. You cannot judge Messi on that. Also, to counter that, did Maradona accomplish at club level what Lionel Messi has already accomplished? Isn't that the same argument?

I saw Pele say this the other day and couldn't believe the nerve. I never took Pele to be egocentric and put down another person. Granted, I doubt Messi cares, he's too busy loving football.

Pele is a bullshitting asshole, a large large number of his goals shouldn't count, him and santos counted every goal he scored for youth and reserve sides, friendlies for his "1000 goal career total" and games nobody else but them have a record of.

Originally Posted by Hoopymo

Pele is a bullshitting asshole, a large large number of his goals shouldn't count, him and santos counted every goal he scored for youth and reserve sides, friendlies for his "1000 goal career total" and games nobody else but them have a record of.

Wasn't that Romario.

Originally Posted by Euskadi

Wasn't that Romario.

He tried the same thing but got caught because PSV discredited it when he claimed he scored even more than pele

to be fair pele can say what he wants. Three WC winners medals gibes him that privilege

Originally Posted by ryan1888

People always bring this up but fail to realize that there are 10 other players on a team. Messi is not surrounded by the same team that Maradona was, nor are Messi and Argentina facing the same opposition that Maradona and Argentina faced in his day. You cannot judge Messi on that. Also, to counter that, did Maradona accomplish at club level what Lionel Messi has already accomplished? Isn't that the same argument?

I saw Pele say this the other day and couldn't believe the nerve. I never took Pele to be egocentric and put down another person. Granted, I doubt Messi cares, he's too busy loving football.

There are ten other players on a team, that includes barcelona also. I dont wanna take anything away from messi becuase he is awesome but the league he plays in isnt known for the quality of its defending. Its as bad as scotland for being a two horse race for gods sake, yet this never comes up when people talk about his stats

It being a two horse race has more to do with barca and real being immense than the rest of the league being shit though.

And tbh messi is part of the reason why barca are so dominant in the first place.

but the rest of the league are shit though and they dont believe in defending. IMO.

Not sure about La liga defenses not being as good. You would say that man united's defense was as good as anyone's in the world last year and look what messi did to them! I couldn't believe pele's comments either... What did he win domestically? not sure it will be as good as messi's records already!