Messi

[Incognito]

Zizou the best I've seen.

[LesPaul]

Very different eras of football so to say he's the "best ever" is hard but to say he's in the same class wouldn't be a stretch.  There are players that come around every once and a while and are of a different class - ones like Pele, Maradona, Zidane, etc - and I think you can safely put Messi in that category at the moment.  If he wins the WC then he will definitely stay there too.

 

I wouldn't place Zidane up there with Pele and Maradona.

[Frazzle]

Rooney would have scored 5.

 

I know you're probably joking, but Ronaldo, do you think Rooney is better than Messi? 

[Neil]

He's certainly the best I've seen in my lifetime.

 

Still Ronaldo for me.

 

Fair enough. I'd love to see more of Ronaldo in his PSV and Barcelona days, like. I feel like I've only scratched the surface by seeing him during his late-Inter and Madrid seasons (and internationals).

[Village Idiot]

the late Ronaldo was a pale reflection of his younger self, yet the original was such a force than the reflection still shone brighter than most. But he had lost that mobility that made him such a terror in the pitch.

 

The other day I said Messi's the best player I have seen don the Barça shirt, but thinking of those great days in 1996, I harbor my doubts. But he only stayed one season with us.

 

47 in 49. I mean, really.

[Ronaldo]

Rooney would have scored 5.

 

I know you're probably joking, but Ronaldo, do you think Rooney is better than Messi? 

 

No. I dont even think Rooney's better than Drogba.

[Village Idiot]

Rooney would have scored 5.

 

I know you're probably joking, but Ronaldo, do you think Rooney is better than Messi? 

 

No. I dont even think Rooney's better than Drogba.

 

For all the talk of Rooney's über-season there's a big chance that Drogba will end up piping him to the top goalscorer award.

[Ronaldo]

If Rooney didn't take penalties he'd have little chance.

[madras]

Rooney would have scored 5.

 

I know you're probably joking, but Ronaldo, do you think Rooney is better than Messi? 

 

No. I dont even think Rooney's better than Drogba.

 

For all the talk of Rooney's über-season there's a big chance that Drogba will end up piping him to the top goalscorer award.

thats down to goals alone. my opinion purely but rooney has been better than drogba overall this season...........................and messi is getting close to joining the cruyff's, pele's,beckenbaur's,maradona's of this world.

[Village Idiot]

Rooney would have scored 5.

 

I know you're probably joking, but Ronaldo, do you think Rooney is better than Messi? 

 

No. I dont even think Rooney's better than Drogba.

 

For all the talk of Rooney's über-season there's a big chance that Drogba will end up piping him to the top goalscorer award.

thats down to goals alone. my opinion purely but rooney has been better than drogba overall this season...........................and messi is getting close to joining the cruyff's, pele's,beckenbaur's,maradona's of this world.

 

I'm not that sure... Drogba's been a beast this season. Creating, defending, dragging his team out of dire straits... admittedly what Rooney has also done. Drogba is going to enter his twilight years, and injuries have prevented him from performing at this kind of level consistently, but this season I don't think it's so clear cut that Rooney's been better. Future is obviously Wayne's.

[Guest firetotheworks]

For me The chasm in quality between Rooney and the rest of the Man United team > The chasm in quality between Drogba and the rest of the Chelsea team. For that alone I think Rooney has been better, and has stood out much more in a weakened Man United team.

[Adam]

Messi is a genius, but Xavi doesn't get enough credit especially from uk media. Funny how the talk of world best in this thread is of strikers, players like Xavi Iniesta have to be up there as well.

[Village Idiot]

Messi is a genius, but Xavi doesn't get enough credit especially from uk media. Funny how the talk of world best in this thread is of strikers, players like Xavi Iniesta have to be up there as well.

 

I still seethe with rage when I remember this headline:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1113507/The-best-players-world-Xavi--Ronaldo-crowned-king-football.html

[Guest n4e]

Xavi is my favourite player in the world. He has been for a while, the amount of ground he covers, his passing and how good and calm on the ball he is I don't know how people don't rate him.

[johnnypd]

Messi is a genius, but Xavi doesn't get enough credit especially from uk media. Funny how the talk of world best in this thread is of strikers, players like Xavi Iniesta have to be up there as well.

 

tbf to the tv pundits they always give him a mention - souness was waxing lyrical about him the other night. world class and has been for number of years now.

 

 

[Village Idiot]

Goalscorers will always have the edge in these kind of awards and considerations, they are just the flashiest and most marketable footballers.

 

Of all the players routinely cited in these lists, only Zidane wasn't a goalscorer (and still chipped in a few). And Beckenbauer (who doesn't make these lists that often).

[Slugsy]

I find it difficult to compare players from different eras.  Maradona was incredible, I was him play for Argentina and Napoli but then so was Zidane who I saw play for both France and Real.  Messi is certainly world class and if he has a good world cup, will deserve to be mentioned with these players.

[Fugazi]

Messi is a genius, but Xavi doesn't get enough credit especially from uk media. Funny how the talk of world best in this thread is of strikers, players like Xavi Iniesta have to be up there as well.

 

I still seethe with rage when I remember this headline:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1113507/The-best-players-world-Xavi--Ronaldo-crowned-king-football.html

 

Football365.com took great pleasure in digging that up aswell, after the Arsenal match.

[Nobody]

Am I the only one who doesn't think winning the World Cup is a necessity to be considered one of the all time greats? I find what Messi is doing week in week out in Barcelona far more important than what he might do for a month during the World Cup.

[SEMTEX]

The World Cup isn't exactly gonna make or break him, but it's an important part of your game to be able to deal with the pressure on such a massive stage. Plus, it'll get you known to hordes of people who otherwise didn't know you existed.

[ponsaelius]

Messi is a genius, but Xavi doesn't get enough credit especially from uk media. Funny how the talk of world best in this thread is of strikers, players like Xavi Iniesta have to be up there as well.

 

I still seethe with rage when I remember this headline:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1113507/The-best-players-world-Xavi--Ronaldo-crowned-king-football.html

 

Aye I posted that in another thread yesterday. Typifies English media.

[Adam]

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,13320_6079214,00.html

[Village Idiot]

The World Cup isn't exactly gonna make or break him, but it's an important part of your game to be able to deal with the pressure on such a massive stage. Plus, it'll get you known to hordes of people who otherwise didn't know you existed.

 

I kinda agree, it probably shouldn't matter that much in terms of showcasing your ability (I do rate club football higher than international football) but it puts your name in the minds of people.

 

Incidentally, do people consider Di Stéfano one of the greats outside Spain? He didn't even play in a WC.

[Disco]

The World Cup wouldn't even be an argument if he was from the Faroes or something. Complete non-point IMO.

[Village Idiot]

But it happens. I'm pretty sure Puskas would be mentioned in these lists had Hungary won the WC in 1954, for example. I mean, look at his club record!