After another poor outing with the Albiceleste, I wonder how much damage Messi's poor performances for the national team would do for his legacy when inevitably compared with the greats of the game. Firstly, I think the rather fanciful claim of people that Maradonna won the World Cup single-handed is rather vacuous. Football is an 11-on-11 team game and any great weaknesses in a team would be ruthlessly exploited by the top sides. I can't understand how any one player can carry a team to glory. If you understand the games dynamics, you'd know Argentina's team spirit, miserly defence and solid team shape played a key role in their World Cup win. Maradonna standing out as the brains and leader of the outfit doesn't make it a one-man show. I think stressing how a team is the sum of its parts is important in judging the increasing under-performance of many stars at international level. The ongoing Copa America has seen the likes of Messi and Argentina's fearsome strikeforce, Falcaó, Suarez, Sanchez, Neymar etc fail to leave an indelible mark on the tournament with largely uninspired, insipid displays. In Europe, the likes of Ronaldo (despite the delusion of his fanboys), Rooney, Torres, Benzema etc have severally failed to perform to expected standard on the international stage. Even our own mercurial French man, Thierry Henry never replicated his Arsenal form for France (despite breaking the national scoring record). Now, I have a lot of theories on why so many modern day superstars aren't punching at their weight level on the international stage, which would make this a rather long-winded post but to shorten it: Do you believe international football in the modern game is an anachronistic way of judging players or do you believe it still holds fair. In light of this, if Messi's current dry run for Argentina continues while his excellence for Barca holds true till the end of his career, would it detract from his status among the greats of the game?
I personally think Messi is a better player than Maradona ever was. People put to too much stock in the national game. The quality of opposition in the Champions league is FAR higher than the World Cup or Copa America. At only just 24 Messi has 3 Champions league medals, 5 La liga titles and has scored 180 goals in 264 appearances for Barcelona. (with 80 odd assists). He's the greatest player of this generation. Perhaps ever.
International Cup competitions are a difficult way to judge an individual player, as football being a team sport, depends on the performance of the whole team. If the mood is right in the camp then the whole team can shine, without any one player being particulary outstanding. Look at Greece winning the European cup a few years back, they weren't pretty or played particularly great football, but as a team they knew how to get a job done. On the other hand, take France at the 2010 world cup and you get an idea of what happens when there is disharmony in the ranks. A team full of superstars disposed of in unceremonious fashion. It's all about how well the team handle the pressure of a knock out competition. As for Messi, his stats show that he is a far better player than Maradona
It is an interesting question posed in this thread, and for some of us whose memories go back further than Thierry Henri there is evidence that it isnt just the current players that this applies to. However it might be interesting to look at just where in the teams the players are who dont bring their club form onto the international pitch and until recently it was predominantly attacking midfielders and strikers, there are of course exceptions, Bobby Charlton stands out in the memory, also Gary Lineker and Peter Beardsley, but nearly always the defensive players did not suffer this problem, but since then football has changed, the squad system and the influx of foreign players has altered the way teams play, take The Arsenal for instance, the team has a playing system but those players then go and play for their national teams made up with players who play all around the world, in leagues all with differing styles, which the national coach has to attempt to meld into a successful one with limited time, it is interesting that the current World Cup Holders Spain draw their players from predominantly one club and they know how to play together, England for instance draw from six or seven clubs with differing methods, I forebear to use the word style, and some of them are not even first choice for their club, Rooney for instance plays one way for Man U and another or more often not for England and his frustration is evident but the the problem is now spreading back through the team we are desperately short of a good right back, the current centre backs are giving cause for concern, and the midfield lacks guile and strength, although the inclusion of Scott Parker has tightened it up, and Wilshere will be world class if he can learn how to use his right foot, so all is not doom and gloom. But there is one other problem and it lies with us the supporter, we need to get used to the fact that football is better when the ball is played on the ground, not twelve feet in the air looking a nod down or flick on or more often given away, and not groan when the game is not played at a hundred miles an hour.
Messi has only proven to work in the Barca system, conincidently with some of the best passers of the ball around him (Xavi, Iniesta). If Messi would be playing for Spain, he would be certain to end up as the greatest in the World because he will also have the likes of Xavi and Iniesta with him. Maradona led average Argentinian sides single-handledly to 2 World Cup finals, winning one of them. Zidane had success and was the instrumental figure whereever he played, be it at Juventus, Real oder the French National team. It didn't matter whether his team-mates were del Piero, Trezeguet, Inzaghi, Davids, Henry, Vieira etc. For me, he is the greatest. Or the original Ronaldo was awesome as well in the 90's and beginning of the noughties. He also led Brazil to winning the World Cup and has also bagged the most World Cup goals. Messi has played two so far and is this on 0. Messi could go down as Barca's greatest player ever, but not in the world if he doesn't prove it on the biggest stage. Which is the World Cup. The Cope this year IMO is quite irrelevant, the quality of the games were generally poor and Messi actually did play good in the game against Uruguay.
There's no substitution for skill though. Players like Maradona had it in abundance. Messi is another natural talent. But for the cream of the crop, you would have to say that Pele was the best.
PELE is without doubt the mostest greaterest player of all time Piskie,do you remember that racist who always used to post anti PELE posts on BBC 606 ?
I ****ing hope not.That character was nothing but ****ing homophobic nazi.We best keep an eye in case he ever comes on here.We should get PC Ginger on the case
I wish i could recall his name Wasn't he a Man Utd fan who's dad beat the **** out of him because he wanted to support Liverpool
Some people are yet again repeating the rather naive line about single-handedly winning cups for a team. Like I previously posted, without the right tactical setup and execution from the other ten men, you'd achieve nothing. If you put Maradonna in the current Argentine team with Burdisso and Milito as your trusted centre back pairing along with an incompetent coach like himself managing the team, he'd win diddly squat. And the myth that Zidane near single handedly won the World cup for France is one of the biggest loads of bull out there from those who didn't watch the tournament. No one wins anything single-handedly. I know little about the Napoli side that won Serie-A with Maradonna but I'm certain they had a good, solid core running through the team with Maradonna providing the element of fantasy. Modern football ruthlessly exposes any weakness like Argentina found out in the last World Cup.
Messi could potentially have another 10 years at the top level so I guess we'll wait and see. Personally I think he's on course to be the greatest ever. Also I agree with PISKIE Pele was better than Maradona.
