Semi Finals

[Goat]

Either way, we should be blessed we got to watch Messi and the boy CR7, I think they drove each other to the heights they reached.

Their era is nearly over, be fun watching whoever comes next.

Mmmmbob and the Cyborg look the best bet.

 

[RAFUH]

@LinekersLegs

 

[TheBigIguana]

Why would you say Maradona is more naturally gifted than Messi out of interest?

Of all the footage of Maradona i've seen I can't recall seeing him slicing defences in half with through balls in a way that Messi has been able to do. Maradona and Messi do seem comparable for a lot of other attributes, you only have to look at the England World Cup goal for Maradona and the Getafe (I think it was) one that Messi scored.

But goal scoring wise and for time at the top, Messi destroys Maradona.

People love to say you can't compare across eras and I think it is fair. Series A cerca 1987 saw 50 goals as a high number for a team to score. But you can compare Maradona's output with his colleagues and see he was the Golden Boot winner just a single time. Messi has won La Liga's 8 times.

The reason I expect Messi to be the greatest I'll ever see is the way he's rolled everything up into one player. Dribbling and creatively maybe he's not clear of Maradona, but as a scorer he certainly is. Maybe Ronaldo keeps up as a scorer and playmaker, but Ronaldo couldn't dominate the midfield 3rd like Messi. Maybe Xavi and Iniesta could run the game in the middle the same but they'd never produce in attack the same way. He's incomparable because he was Ronaldo, Maradona and Iniesta in one player.

So even today I watch players like Mbappe and Haaland who I expect will be thrown into this conversation in due course and I just can't imagine a world where they're Messi's equal because they'll always have that one part of the game where Messi was among the best that they couldn't quite match. There likely will be another at some point as there always is in sports but for now I'm going to enjoy his singular brilliance.

 

[Walken]

Diego was the best I ever saw, but then I only saw him every 4 years.

I think its impossible to say somebody was a GOAT.

Era matters, football changes.

Plus growth hormone and tax dodging tech developments get made with generations

 

[LinekersLegs]

@LinekersLegs

Pity he had to retire but glad he has done it with grace and seems happy.

 

[Neiler]

Fair play to Messi, you have to mention him.

Like an Argentinian Billy Gilmour.

 

[Neiler]

@LinekersLegs

Used to room together under age and basically played FIFA together for weeks. Good pals.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Either way, we should be blessed we got to watch Messi and the boy CR7, I think they drove each other to the heights they reached.

Their era is nearly over, be fun watching whoever comes next.

Mmmmbob and the Cyborg look the best bet.

@COYBL25 I think your translation services might be needed elsewhere soon

 

[Neiler]

I’d be a Pele man, but I’m really being won over by Messi this World Cup, he’s been sublime, but more importantly he’s leading out, I’m on the verge…..sometimes you have to leave muscle memory behind and bow to greatness, what a beautiful footballer.

 

[Martin Alvito]

People love to say you can't compare across eras and I think it is fair. Series A cerca 1987 saw 50 goals as a high number for a team to score. But you can compare Maradona's output with his colleagues and see he was the Golden Boot winner just a single time. Messi has won La Liga's 8 times.

The reason I expect Messi to be the greatest I'll ever see is the way he's rolled everything up into one player. Dribbling and creatively maybe he's not clear of Maradona, but as a scorer he certainly is. Maybe Ronaldo keeps up as a scorer and playmaker, but Ronaldo couldn't dominate the midfield 3rd like Messi. Maybe Xavi and Iniesta could run the game in the middle the same but they'd never produce in attack the same way. He's incomparable because he was Ronaldo, Maradona and Iniesta in one player.

So even today I watch players like Mbappe and Haaland who I expect will be thrown into this conversation in due course and I just can't imagine a world where they're Messi's equal because they'll always have that one part of the game where Messi was among the best that they couldn't quite match. There likely will be another at some point as there always is in sports but for now I'm going to enjoy his singular brilliance.

The GOAT discussion is so subjective and one's answer generally boils down to personal preference over the elements of the game one prefers (and personal biases). I take Magic in basketball - the only player in the history of the game that could win a Finals clincher playing the 5 as easily as the 1. Most people don't.

The 'best' footballer I have ever seen is Iniesta in the sense that he was half of an entire keep away strategy and could deliver the lightning, killing thrust, but the injury issues keep him out of the GOAT conversation since longevity and durability matter. The scariest player I have ever seen is Brazilian Ronaldo, but he experienced some of the same issues.

I would say that the Jules Rimet trophy would pretty much tip the Maradona/Messi debate to Messi on weight of accomplishments. Some will not agree.

@COYBL25 I think your translation services might be needed elsewhere soon

The addition of 'Norwegian' before 'cyborg' would have helped a bit there, I think.

 

[Neiler]

People love to say you can't compare across eras and I think it is fair. Series A cerca 1987 saw 50 goals as a high number for a team to score. But you can compare Maradona's output with his colleagues and see he was the Golden Boot winner just a single time. Messi has won La Liga's 8 times.

The reason I expect Messi to be the greatest I'll ever see is the way he's rolled everything up into one player. Dribbling and creatively maybe he's not clear of Maradona, but as a scorer he certainly is. Maybe Ronaldo keeps up as a scorer and playmaker, but Ronaldo couldn't dominate the midfield 3rd like Messi. Maybe Xavi and Iniesta could run the game in the middle the same but they'd never produce in attack the same way. He's incomparable because he was Ronaldo, Maradona and Iniesta in one player.

So even today I watch players like Mbappe and Haaland who I expect will be thrown into this conversation in due course and I just can't imagine a world where they're Messi's equal because they'll always have that one part of the game where Messi was among the best that they couldn't quite match. There likely will be another at some point as there always is in sports but for now I'm going to enjoy his singular brilliance.

Pele was close he could play anywhere and had such varied skill sets, also had the longevity.

Winning 3 World Cups is just ridiculous.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Pele was close he could play anywhere and had such varied skill sets, also had the longevity.

Winning 3 World Cups is just ridiculous.

I think Pele is #2 for me, and honestly if there was more of an ability to see his games the way we have with Messi I can see him being #1 instead. To me he's the only real argument.

 

[LinekersLegs]

 

[WA Toffee]

People love to say you can't compare across eras and I think it is fair. Series A cerca 1987 saw 50 goals as a high number for a team to score. But you can compare Maradona's output with his colleagues and see he was the Golden Boot winner just a single time. Messi has won La Liga's 8 times.

The reason I expect Messi to be the greatest I'll ever see is the way he's rolled everything up into one player. Dribbling and creatively maybe he's not clear of Maradona, but as a scorer he certainly is. Maybe Ronaldo keeps up as a scorer and playmaker, but Ronaldo couldn't dominate the midfield 3rd like Messi. Maybe Xavi and Iniesta could run the game in the middle the same but they'd never produce in attack the same way. He's incomparable because he was Ronaldo, Maradona and Iniesta in one player.

So even today I watch players like Mbappe and Haaland who I expect will be thrown into this conversation in due course and I just can't imagine a world where they're Messi's equal because they'll always have that one part of the game where Messi was among the best that they couldn't quite match. There likely will be another at some point as there always is in sports but for now I'm going to enjoy his singular brilliance.

All very good points.

My opinion is I enjoy watching him play football and don't really care if he is the best ever or the tenth best ever.

 

[mmmmsnouts]

Winning 3 World Cups is just ridiculous.

Only counterpoint to that is there were large parts of the world not taking football seriously in that era. Some of Europe, Asia, most of North America. There were fewer countries in the tournament and not as much depth in the field.