Lionel Messi

[toonotl 2520]

It's true that he's not as effective with the Argies without Xavi, Iniesta and co. and its hard to say he's better than Maradona. But he is certainly the best player of our generation by a street and we're pretty lucky to see him play.

[ewerk 26793]

Aye, but could he do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke?

[BigAl 0]

I think Messi is the best I have ever seen, I know folk say that you have to do it in a world cup but I'm sure that will happen, you have to remember who was the coach for Argentina in the last world cup & I don't think his ego would of allowed him to play Messi as he should be played.

Maradona had one really fantastic world cup in 86 out of the 4 that he played in & Messi still has 2 World cups to go when he will be in his prime, fantastic player enjoy him while we can because they don't come along that often!!

[McFaul 35]

Aye, but could he do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke?

Obertan had nee bother.

[Andrew 4263]

Stoke couldn't do it on a war Tuesday night in valencia

[Brock Manson 0]

In terms of goals and assists in club football, he's behind Maradona.

 

Messi currently has 234 goals and 88 assists in competitive matches.

 

Maradona 311 goals and 300 assists*

 

No reason why Messi won't beat both tallies before he retires if he can keep on playing the way he has over the past few seasons. Would that make him better or not? I think people will always argue who was better, but I can't truly compare myself as I'm biased towards Messi, having seen him play over 90 minutes many times whilst only seeing highlights of Maradona.

 

*I think it's somewhere around this figure.

[Tom 13915]

He'll probably beat the goals tally in the next 18 months at this rate.

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

I think people make too much of how 'average' Diego's teams were. Both Napoli and the Argentina teams had some excellent players.

[PaddockLad 14897]

I think people make too much of how 'average' Diego's teams were. Both Napoli and the Argentina teams had some excellent players.

 

Jose Luis Brown was a teamate in 86.

 

I couldnt get my head around how someone from Argentina could be called Brown....not to mention being a classy Libero

 

Valdano scored 4 goals in that tournament including one in the final.....class horse...

 

Napoli I'm less sure on, but this is interesting:

 

While Maradona single-handedly lifted Argentina to the title - with five goals and five assists, while also propelling himself into the annals of history with his two-goal performance in the quarter-finals against England; one goal viewed as "Goal of the Century", the other 'Hand of God' surely the most controversial of all-time - Napoli were working on a plan to challenge for the Scudetto and brought in defender Tebaldo Bigliardi, alongside attacking trio Fernando de Napoli, Francesco Romano and Andrea Carnevale.

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/1033038/rewind-to-1987:-maradona-brings-success-to-napoli?cc=5739

 

 

de Napoli and Carnevale were Italian internationals, di Napoli in particular was brilliant at the euros in 88.

[Tom 13915]

In Paddy Agnews 'Forza Italia!' he holds the Napoli team in quite high regard towards the latter of Maradona's spell, so whilst you could partly attribute the first scuedetto to Maradona being a class above, the second Scudetto & waffa cups were apparently more of a team effort - although with Diego snorting loads of charlie, shagging about and sometimes not turning up I suppose they'd have to be.

[SloopJohn 0]

I think the problem with Messi and Argentina is team selection

 

Every time I've seen Argentina play, bar Messi's inclusion, the team selection is totally bizarre

 

At the last WC, Argentina started the match against Germany with one central midfielder! against a team that had ripped England apart on the counter the previous match..

 

 

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

Alemao

Careca

Ferrara

 

All top-class, played for Napoli during Maradona's spell

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

Maradona also fell out with J. Zanetti and left Cambiasso at home. The argies had the potential to win that tournament if not for El Diego's shite management. The fans were happy just not to be embarrassed after the qualification campaign.

[SloopJohn 0]

No Banega either? just bizarre

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

Yes, but Maradona inherited the Hellenistic tradition of myxomatosis which had been stultified through the influence of the christian hierachy in the 12th century. To suggest otherwise is a gross distortion.

[McFaul 35]

Alemao

Careca

Ferrara

 

All top-class, played for Napoli during Maradona's spell

Class players but nen of them would get in Barcelona's first eleven.

 

IMO some of the jury will always be out till he wins a World Cup, and he's not as charismatic as Maradona.

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

Alemao

Careca

Ferrara

 

All top-class, played for Napoli during Maradona's spell

Class players but nen of them would get in Barcelona's first eleven.

 

IMO some of the jury will always be out till he wins a World Cup, and he's not as charismatic as Maradona.

 

True, I just think the line of thought that, "Maradona made poor/average teams great," is a tired cliche.

[SloopJohn 0]

Yes, but Maradona inherited the Hellenistic tradition of myxomatosis which had been stultified through the influence of the christian hierachy in the 12th century. To suggest otherwise is a gross distortion.

Yes, but Maradona inherited the Hellenistic tradition of myxomatosis which had been stultified through the influence of the christian hierachy in the 12th century. To suggest otherwise is a gross distortion.

 

[Park Life 71]

Maradona kebab for me. Players these days like Messi are over protected by refs compared to the kind of tackiling Maradona had to play against. The gypsy boy would mash Messi up in any kind of match up. Hegelian dialectics will bear this out of course.

[McFaul 35]

Alemao

Careca

Ferrara

 

All top-class, played for Napoli during Maradona's spell

Class players but nen of them would get in Barcelona's first eleven.

 

IMO some of the jury will always be out till he wins a World Cup, and he's not as charismatic as Maradona.

 

True, I just think the line of thought that, "Maradona made poor/average teams great," is a tired cliche.

Ah too true. He was hardly playing for Mick McCarthy's Sunderland, but still a bit short of Barcelona.

[Park Life 71]

Napoli had finished 8th 11th and 3rd when Maradona arrived. Messi wouldn't have been able to raise the whole side and the locals and create the passion and fireworks Maradona did IMO. What he did at Napoli went beyond the scope of football. Messi is a schoolkid by comparison, snuggling in a 2 team league with bigger kids nicking his sanwiches at training.

One player was a phenomena the other is just very good a football.

And only one of then can do 20 lines a day.

Edited March 22, 2012 by Park Life

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

Thing is, before the crucial Milan game--the defeat of whom lead Napoli to the Scudetto victory--Baresi gets a phonecall from a line in Naples at 5am... "Paulie Gambunchino says if Milan win you gonna be dead in the morning, capiche?" Then he falls over in the penalty box as a coked up Maradona brushes by him and slots home for the winner.

[luckyluke 1]

It's not Messi's fault that he's more protected/in a better club side tbf.

[DEADMAN 0]

theres no doubt messi world class after seeing his goals recently amazing player does anyone know how much wages he takes home. i heard it was something like almost 600,000 a week

[The Fish 9217]

Maradonna is more like C.Ronaldo iyam. Not in his style nor physique, but he needs to be the focal point, he would shine in any side and would still score a shit load of goals. Messi needs the vision of others to get the best out of him. Stick him in an Arsenal or Borussia or even Swansea and he'd do well, any team where the imperative is retaining possession, quality of movement and shrewd use of the football. He'd not be as key in a team which is more direct.