Maradona

[Seathestars]

Hahahahaha. My God man. We really are in your brain.

Says him on another teams forum. I would never dream of signing on to Rawk. The thought makes me sick.

 

[Ruairi77]

Earliest memory watching Maradona was Italia ‘90, a tournament that he played with an injury (believe it was his ankle for which he got injections). Made only one real run of the note (the dribble vs Brazil to set up Caniggia). It was a 6 out of 10 tournament for him as he was clearly hindered.

Having watched Messi for over 10 years on a weekly basis, and having seen footage of Maradona in his prime (the 80s), Messi is the better dribbler. It’s close, as it’s the two greatest at this, but Messi’s ball control is unparalleled. Maradona would often use his body to shield the ball, whereas Messi would already be away from an opponent (often via a feint) so wouldn’t require to use his body to hold a player off. The biggest difference between the two is personality. Messi hasn’t got one, he can’t drive a team on through sheer will power unlike Maradona. While Messi has a great effect on his teammates just through his sheer presence, Maradona had an even greater effect as he had that presence in addition to being the player that drove everyone else on. Even if a game was going really badly (take Argentina’s 4-0 loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup, or 4-1 loss to France in 2018), Maradona would do something, he’d kick someone, get in the referees face, he wouldn’t take defeat lying down, whereas Messi being so quiet/lacking in personality you would barely see any reaction.

Messi more naturally talented, but Maradona edges it overall through his presence/effect on the team.

you've got to factor in what the game was like in the 80's. Maradona routinely got lumps kicked out of him, far worse than anything Messi has faced.
Switch the two players, put Messi in that Napoli team of the 80s and Diego in the Barca team of the last ten years and there'd be no contest. Maradona was the better player, he also had a personality which helps. I was lucky to have him to idolise as a kid in the 80s.

 

[Walken]

Did diego ever shrug his shoulders and bottle it at anfield? no
Diego > messi

 

[matchworks]

Says him on another teams forum. I would never dream of signing on to Rawk. The thought makes me sick.

An old union man once told me "Know your enemy."

 

[artetas_biggest_fan]

you've got to factor in what the game was like in the 80's. Maradona routinely got lumps kicked out of him, far worse than anything Messi has faced.
Switch the two players, put Messi in that Napoli team of the 80s and Diego in the Barca team of the last ten years and there'd be no contest. Maradona was the better player, he also had a personality which helps. I was lucky to have him to idolise as a kid in the 80s.

You are right to factor in the different playing conditions. No question it was much tougher for Maradona (playing on crap pitches, lumps kicked out of him etc...same applies to George Best). But when you take a good look at the pair of them with the ball, Messi edges it. His body feint and that little shift of direction that takes him away from an opponent is unlike anything I’ve seen. He’s had more jaw dropping moments than any player in history.

As I said though I’d still have Maradona over him overall as he would lead a team to success more than Messi.

 

[Ruairi77]

You are right to factor in the different playing conditions. No question it was much tougher for Maradona (playing on crap pitches, lumps kicked out of him etc...same applies to George Best). But when you take a good look at the pair of them with the ball, Messi edges it. His body feint and that little shift of direction that takes him away from an opponent is unlike anything I’ve seen. He’s had more jaw dropping moments than any player in history.

As I said though I’d still have Maradona over him overall as he would lead a team to success more than Messi.

Yea, maybe his movement on the ball is better and maybe he has more jaw dropping moments, he did play for one of the best teams ever assembled. But still over all, I give it to Maradona. He was a scrapper, Messi is to robotic, you can almost predict his unpredictable moments.
Maradona had everything I think makes football great (even the lunacy)

 

[The Celtic View]

Compare that Argentina side to all the teams who have won the world cup.... most if not all have 2 or 3 world class players.

That argentina side didn't.... 2 maybe 3 very good ones plus the rest which was average + the best player ever.

The England game which aside the handball we could have won was decided by maradona and the best goal I've seen. They needed him like no other team I've ever seen.

The handball was blatant cheating, but the way I remember it Argentina dominated the game, until England pulled a goal back.

 

[brigadier]

The tackles he was on the end of would be straight reds today, he was like a tank , running with ball knowing someone is trying to end your career every game, hats off to the cheat.

 

[Pabbers]

Watched the new docu-film on him last night, superb. Quite sad really, all the footage shows how much of a goldfish bowl he lived in all the time in naples, it broke him.

Great watch, its out thursday I beleive.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You are right to factor in the different playing conditions. No question it was much tougher for Maradona (playing on crap pitches, lumps kicked out of him etc...same applies to George Best). But when you take a good look at the pair of them with the ball, Messi edges it. His body feint and that little shift of direction that takes him away from an opponent is unlike anything I’ve seen. He’s had more jaw dropping moments than any player in history.

As I said though I’d still have Maradona over him overall as he would lead a team to success more than Messi.

Maradona also played at a time when smoking and drinking among players was common, and they were knackered after making a 10 yard sprint. Comparing eras is kinda for the birds for that reason, and a more realistic yardstick is just how far ahead of their peers these players are. I'd say it's debatable just how much better Maradona was than Platini, Zico and Matthaus (of those in his position). I mean Matthaus was head and shoulders above everyone else at Italia 90, yet he isn't eulogised by British fans because he didn't punch the ball into the net against England. Both he and Platini have a better record at club level, and indeed both they and Zico have a better record at international level. When you add in people like Hagi and Laudrup, both of whom inspired Steaua, Romania and Denmark to heights never seen in their history, and it was an era where despite the apparent thuggery of defenders, attacking midfield players thrived.

 

[longers]

Watched the new docu-film on him last night, superb. Quite sad really, all the footage shows how much of a goldfish bowl he lived in all the time in naples, it broke him.

Great watch, its out thursday I beleive.

I didn't realise there were advanced screenings of it, just googled and seen its airing in Mile End tonight... may have to pop down if there are still tickets available.

 

[longers]

Interview with director, seems its mainly focused on his time at Naples, makes sense.

 

[Walken]

An old union man once told me "Know your enemy."

unless he was a scab that makes no sense

 

[matchworks]

unless he was a scab that makes no sense

I should have posted that I asked him why he was reading the Daily Mail.

 

[Tea_drinker]

On at FACT from Friday I understand.