The Final: Argentina v France

[davek]

Why don’t you tell us some more stories about maradonas godly performances at Napoli that you never actually witnessed, that’ll convince everyone he is the best.

If Messi had been at Napoli they'd have been relegated.

 

[davek]

The debate is over Dave. I didn't want to believe and I've tried denying the tax dodging midget myself. But he's the best to ever do it, and when his career is over and we can look at it clear-eyed, it won't even be close

Short termist nonsense.

El Diego = greatest ever.

The Argentinians know it most of all.

A football God getting compared to a little feller dribbling 5 yards all game.

Laughable comparison.

 

[Pabbers]

This is the 4th "player of the tournament" award for Messi at International level.....unreal that people ever questioned if he "did it" at Int level.

 

[Neiler]

Messi Vs Maradona will never be reconciled, for many reasons - a good few of them from outside of football.

Enjoyed them both and what a privilege to have seen both of them play in a lifetime, incredible that Argentina produced both.

Absolutely unbelievable talents the pair of them, so so gifted.

 

[davek]

It's not a tribute to the tinpot regime. It's a tribute to the Arab culture.

You're soooo naive.

 

[davek]

He has given more joy to millions of people than you or I could ever dream of. Why bring up his tax dodging, just after he shows he is possibly the GOAT?! If everybody was as bitter as you seem to be, the world would be a bad place!

He's a criminal. Are we supposed to forget that?

 

[MikeH72]

He's a criminal. Are we supposed to forget that?

Maradona is literally a drug cheat.

 

[davek]

sky is a luxury item. If you don’t like it don’t pay for it. That would get them out the game.
Neville is fighting the good fight here.

He is just collecting a World Cup trophy

Neville is a blow hard who chose to work for a Qatari betting company for a shed load of blood-soaked cash. So spare me the Red Nev stuff.

 

[Neiler]

He's a criminal. Are we supposed to forget that?

He was never convicted like, but really he was up to his neck in it.

Nothing to do with his god given football talent, nor Messi's for that matter.

Diego Maradona Reportedly Given £33m Tax Bill by Italy's Tax Collection Agency

Legendary Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona reportedly owes €39 million ( £33 or $53 million) in unpaid taxes to Italy and will have his assets frozen if he doesn't pay them off...

bleacherreport.com

 

[davek]

He was never convicted like, but really he was up to his neck in it.

Nothing to do with his god given football talent, nor Messi's for that matter.

Diego Maradona Reportedly Given £33m Tax Bill by Italy's Tax Collection Agency

Legendary Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona reportedly owes €39 million ( £33 or $53 million) in unpaid taxes to Italy and will have his assets frozen if he doesn't pay them off...

bleacherreport.com

That was all political.

 

[Neiler]

That was all political.

To be fair most things are. He was cleared posthumously, which was likely political too.

So much of the Messi Vs Maradona debate, comes down to culture and politics.

Maradona was a champion of the people, left wing, came from streets loved Boca - people in Argentina really identify with that, he was living a dream for them as one of them, he cultivated that too and got on board with populist politics.

Messi will never be that, in fact he does himself no favours, he knew what he was doing with the robe yesterday, hes in with Qataris - in fact i think he's an ambassador for the World Cup bid in Saudi, so has close links to Arab World. He has a different persona, hes considered a Barca boy in Argentina - be interesting to see what yesterday does for him, whether he can hit Diego levels of cultural icon in Argentina. Id love to see him go back to Old Boys that would be a big thing for him and Argentinians.

Both players though were incredible, so so gifted and such a pleasure, we've been so lucky.

 

[Tin-Tin]

Who does this fell think he is, winds me up this. How do these people get on the pitch for the biggest moments of gootballera careers. I think he even pulls Messi at one point after Messi just nods, he obviously wasnt going to give up.

 

[davek]

To be fair most things are. He was cleared posthumously, which was likely political too.

So much of the Messi Vs Maradona debate, comes down to culture and politics.

Maradona was a champion of the people, left wing, came from streets loved Boca - people in Argentina really identify with that, he was living a dream for them as one of them, he cultivated that too and got on board with populist politics.

Messi will never be that, in fact he does himself no favours, he knew what he was doing with the robe yesterday, hes in with Qataris - in fact i think he's an ambassador for the World Cup bid in Saudi, so has close links to Arab World. He has a different persona, hes considered a Barca boy in argentina - be interesting to see what yesterday does for him, whether he can hit Diego levels of cultural icon in Argentina. Id love to see him go back to Old Boys that would be a big thing for him and Argentinians.

Yes. I agree entirely. It's also generational too. The people who watch Messi and laud him as the best ever have only known Messi. My generation has seen Maradona and Messi, and that's why IMO there's no comparison to be made: one was a football master full of invention and raw power capable of making football not a team game but a one man exhibition on the highest of stages; the other is a pure dribbler with great balance, but who always needs top quality around him to make his game tick.

This is not so much to do with pots won as a stylistic assessment.

There literally is no comparison to be made.

 

[Simon Buttle]

To be fair most things are. He was cleared posthumously, which was likely political too.

So much of the Messi Vs Maradona debate, comes down to culture and politics.

Maradona was a champion of the people, left wing, came from streets loved Boca - people in Argentina really identify with that, he was living a dream for them as one of them, he cultivated that too and got on board with populist politics.

Messi will never be that, in fact he does himself no favours, he knew what he was doing with the robe yesterday, hes in with Qataris - in fact i think he's an ambassador for the World Cup bid in Saudi, so has close links to Arab World. He has a different persona, hes considered a Barca boy in Argentina - be interesting to see what yesterday does for him, whether he can hit Diego levels of cultural icon in Argentina. Id love to see him go back to Old Boys that would be a big thing for him and Argentinians.

Both players though were incredible, so so gifted and such a pleasure, we've been so lucky.

The robe is something they give to Kings, it was given to him to show him as the King of the World Cup/football nothing more than that, people are getting a bit carried away with it all imo.

 

[devogue]

He's a criminal. Are we supposed to forget that?

Maradona was a criminal as well though. He even dodged taxes lol