Messi: "The Greatest Player of All Time"

[Bruce Wayne]

I never saw Pele play. The only way I have of properly judging the situation is to compare Maradona with the long line of worlds best who came after: Gullit, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldhino, and now Messi. Maradona, like those who followed, was an unbelievable player...as anyone can see from footage. Unlike those who came after he did what he did at a time when players with magical skill were an endangered, hunted species. Messi for one would barely have made it to the 18 yard box in that period. He'd have been a bit like George Best - having great 5-10 minute spells in games that saw him sliced in two for the rest of the match. Maradona actually imposed himself on the hatchet men and controlled most games he was involved in. For me, there just is no comparison to be made. Maradona was a colossus who could be a great in today's game; the reverse isn't true with Messi.

It's difficult to compare generations though wouldn't you say? I mean nowadays players run twice as far in a game as they did even in Maradonna's age, let alone going back to the Pele era and before. So saying Messi wouldn't cope then could easily be deflected to say that those players couldn't cope now. As it is, increasingly players now follow the Mourinho mould of being big, strong and very athletic, so for Messi to shine is very much against the norm. Ronaldo is much more the archetypal modern great.

 

[davek]

It's difficult to compare generations though wouldn't you say? I mean nowadays players run twice as far in a game as they did even in Maradonna's age, let alone going back to the Pele era and before. So saying Messi wouldn't cope then could easily be deflected to say that those players couldn't cope now. As it is, increasingly players now follow the Mourinho mould of being big, strong and very athletic, so for Messi to shine is very much against the norm. Ronaldo is much more the archetypal modern great.

Maradona was a phenomenal athlete. He'd have had no problem with putting in the "shift" that's so impressive to the nu-Sky footy fan. But it's what's done with the ball at their feet that all the greats are judged. His acceleration and fantastic control when and where it mattered was key, and it would have ribboned any defence today. Messi has that too. My point is that I dont see Messi in an earlier period - minus the cotton wool protection - being able to cope and produce.

It's all about leadership too. That can bring a great strain (and distraction) on some people with talent. Messi has little responsibility in a squad of superstars at Barca, and he's a shrinking violet at international level. That's partly the point about bringing up Maradona's feat in leading unfancied club teams and international teams to glory. He took all that in his stride and produced again and again.

Messi's a great player. No question. He has a lot to do in terms of achievement to be compared with Maradona, though. That's why I have to chuckle at the pointing at hat-tricks against the might of Zaragoza and Arsenal's Bank of England defence as evidence of Messi's "all time greatness".

 

[sotnas]

Compare Messi and Maradona with the same age... At 22 Maradona could only show a promise of what he could become. The same goes for Messi.

At this point, he's not the best of all time. But at the end of his career he might be.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

40 goals and counting for Messi now. Whether he's the greatest or not, he's bloody good.

 

[davek]

Messi's deffo the best now. he just scored another goal.

Maradona must be stubbing cigars out on his own legs to make the mental pain go away.

 

[Philw]

Lots of people say Messi couldnt be as good as Diego/hack it in the eighties cos he is too small/not tough enough, but if you go back to a goal he scored a couple weeks ago, he basically fought another player off the ball before waltzing thru a couple pretty hard challenges before scoring. I think he may suprise ppl with how tough he is

 

[chicoazul]

Lots of people say Messi couldnt be as good as Diego/hack it in the eighties cos he is too small/not tough enough, but if you go back to a goal he scored a couple weeks ago, he basically fought another player off the ball before waltzing thru a couple pretty hard challenges before scoring. I think he may suprise ppl with how tough he is

Messi is strong as [Poor language removed] on the ball, it's super watching him battle for it before casually taking le piss.

He's what John Oster should have been.