Messi "best player of all time"

[sageyefc]

You don't see hairlines like that on the pitch these days.

Dunno, cenks hair looks a bit thin, probably look like mr burns before the seasons out

 

[gonetomorrow]

Eusebio is the best of all time. Followed by Maradona. Don't forget, defenders were allowed a lot more licence to maim the opponent in their day.

Aye, it was a man's game.

 

[dead_soft]

Eusebio is the best of all time. Followed by Maradona. Don't forget, defenders were allowed a lot more licence to maim the opponent in their day.

Aye, it was a man's game.

Being okay with being maimed makes you a man, apparently.

 

[gonetomorrow]

Being okay with being maimed makes you a man, apparently.

Nawww! Come on!

You get the point though. They had to be double good to escape the attentions of the likes of Claudio Gentile who got away with more heavy stuff then. It was the same with Bestie in England.

 

[ilikecheese]

I'd have him if he decided to slum it for a year.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Nawww! Come on!

You get the point though. They had to be double good to escape the attentions of the likes of Claudio Gentile who got away with more heavy stuff then. It was the same with Bestie in England.

And yet you look at Best's stats and he barely missed any games for Man Utd having suffered no serious injuries during his time there. Hard to imagine given that a leg breaker would have seen him booked for play acting back then.

 

[jackyboy]

How many goals is it that Pele reckoned he scored?

 

[gonetomorrow]

And yet you look at Best's stats and he barely missed any games for Man Utd having suffered no serious injuries during his time there. Hard to imagine given that a leg breaker would have seen him booked for play acting back then.

There was a famous picture in the papers of George before and after a match. His legs were various shades of purple!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

There was a famous picture in the papers of George before and after a match. His legs were various shades of purple!

I don't dispute that the game saw more physical contact then, but players today are much more muscular than those in the past, so it's hard to imagine they couldn't adapt easily enough. I mean the rationale is akin to saying that Maradona was great because he did stuff Messi did, but also had his leg broken by Goikoetxea, therefore he 'must' be better.

 

[Little Ralphy]

I don't dispute that the game saw more physical contact then, but players today are much more muscular than those in the past, so it's hard to imagine they couldn't adapt easily enough. I mean the rationale is akin to saying that Maradona was great because he did stuff Messi did, but also had his leg broken by Goikoetxea, therefore he 'must' be better.

Not at all, it's that Maradona was great cos he could still go past people when they had the chance to 'mis-time' a tackle and not get booked for it. So players could dive in on him and hit him hard, repeatedly.

Whereas nowadays if a player 'mis-times' a tackle and touches the player, it's a yellow card, so it's made the game far easier for attacking players, not to mention almost eliminated the slide tackle. Look at Pele or Eusabio in the 66 World Cup, you'd never see anything like that in today's game.

IMO even though sportsmen are getting fitter and stronger, enjoying the benefits of better dietary information, supplements and training techniques etc. the sports are getting easier. For example in boxing, Ali beat Frazier in the 14th round of the Thrilla in Manilla, some of Jack Johnson's fights went 20 rounds! Fights these days tend to be 12 rounds max.

 

[Papa Shango]

How many goals is it that Pele reckoned he scored?

1281

He also does not suffer from erectile dysfunction himself, he is merely saying that if he did somehow suffer from it he would absolutely use whatever it was he was shilling in the adverts.

 

[Steve0]

Imagine Messi on the 60's & 70's Baseball Ground lol

On a wet, windy night?

 

[dholliday]

That famous "Stoke" comment was proved right. Andy Gray meant can Messi do it when the chips are down and his team need a lift?

No, he can't. Not when it mattered most on the biggest stage of all.

Still an amazing club player, but taking club & international football in account I wouldn't even have Leo top 5:

1. Maradona
2. Pelé
3. Beckenbauer
4. Zidane
5. Ronaldo (Brazilian one)

One plus is also proving you can do it for more than one team, that's why Cristiano edges now ahead of Messi in the all-time table:

6. C. Ronaldo
7. Cannavaro
8. Messi
9. Matthäus
10. Dixie Dean (not even joking, he was revered worldwide back in the day)

 

[gonetomorrow]

I don't dispute that the game saw more physical contact then, but players today are much more muscular than those in the past, so it's hard to imagine they couldn't adapt easily enough. I mean the rationale is akin to saying that Maradona was great because he did stuff Messi did, but also had his leg broken by Goikoetxea, therefore he 'must' be better.

Sure but all I'm saying is the bad guys got away with more. so the good guys had to be extra nippy.

 

[Steve0]

That famous "Stoke" comment was proved right. Andy Gray meant can Messi do it when the chips are down and his team need a lift?

No, he can't. Not when it mattered most on the biggest stage of all.

Still an amazing club player, but taking club & international football in account I wouldn't even have Leo top 5:

1. Maradona
2. Pelé
3. Beckenbauer
4. Zidane
5. Ronaldo (Brazilian one)

One plus is also proving you can do it for more than one team, that's why Cristiano edges now ahead of Messi in the all-time table:

6. C. Ronaldo
7. Cannavaro
8. Messi
9. Matthäus
10. Dixie Dean (not even joking, he was revered worldwide back in the day)

Two defenders eh?

What a post, you must know so much about football, not many people would have two defenders in their list, you see things others don't eh?

Messi at 8th? Wow! So controversial!