Football's greatest - where does Lionel Messi rank?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Class, next season's Nice. Except hopefully the playe will actually turn out this time.

[The College Dropout]

El Clasico and a hotel would run you about £700.. or it did the last time I looked.

 

I've said this loads... but I saw Messi live in the flesh last season. Scored a penalty. Then finished off the most amazing piece of football i've ever seen by dragging his shot just wide.... which meant Barcelona lost 2-3 at home..... it was a great day.

[Guest firetotheworks]

In a way I think I'd rather watch it at the Bernabau. There's something special about it there that I love with Barca being away.

[The College Dropout]

I have no evidence for this but the nosebleeds at the Bernabeau are probably better than those at the Nou Camp. The Nou Camp's highest section feels like you could touch clouds. For El Clasico you wouldn't be able to take someone else's seat either so would have to chop a lot of money.

[Village Idiot]

The Bernabéu is "shorter" than the Camp Nou (the Camp Nou is larger); so uptop feels closer there. It's still quite removed though, it just happens in those huge stadiums.

 

I always pick nosebleed section seats when I go to Camp Nou. Cheaper seats = more games I can attend.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don't mind if it's a Classico or not, I just want to see Barca.

[Froggy]

This guy last night.

[Flip]

This guy last night.

 

 

f*** off. Go give CRonaldo a blowie

[The College Dropout]

The Bernabéu is "shorter" than the Camp Nou (the Camp Nou is larger); so uptop feels closer there. It's still quite removed though, it just happens in those huge stadiums.

 

I always pick nosebleed section seats when I go to Camp Nou. Cheaper seats = more games I can attend.

 

Old Trafford is the only other stadium i've been to with a 70k+ capacity and those nosebleed seats are pretty good. I could barely read the numbers on the players backs at the Nou Camp when I first found my seats.

[Village Idiot]

Old Trafford is smaller than the Bernabéu or Camp Nou, though. Camp Nou seats 100k, you just can't do that without very high sections.

 

But yeah, those two are the only 80k+ seaters I have been in, so I really can't compare.

[The College Dropout]

Old Trafford is smaller than the Bernabéu or Camp Nou, though. Camp Nou seats 100k, you just can't do that without very high sections.

 

But yeah, those two are the only 80k+ seaters I have been in, so I really can't compare.

Aye, when I went I would guess that real top tier was only 1/3 full and that middle section 2/3's full so you could move down and take someone's seat who had not attended

[Village Idiot]

Old Trafford is smaller than the Bernabéu or Camp Nou, though. Camp Nou seats 100k, you just can't do that without very high sections.

 

But yeah, those two are the only 80k+ seaters I have been in, so I really can't compare.

Aye, when I went I would guess that real top tier was only 1/3 full and that middle section 2/3's full so you could move down and take someone's seat who had not attended

 

Yeah, I do that all the time when I go.

 

The stadium is actually too big. We rarely fill it to the brim; but the 80k+ season tickets all sell out, so it's a cash cow.

[Froggy]

This guy last night.

 

 

f*** off. Go give CRonaldo a blowie

 

there isn't a huge gap between the two. That's all I said.

[Flip]

This guy last night.

 

 

f*** off. Go give CRonaldo a blowie

 

there isn't a huge gap between the two. That's all I said.

 

But there is. There's a gap in history of about 20 players between both. (21 between Pele and CRonaldo )

[The College Dropout]

There's not 20 footballers that have been as good as Cronaldo for so long. I don't even think there's 10. Or 5.

[Guest firetotheworks]

This guy last night.

 

 

f*** off. Go give CRonaldo a blowie

 

there isn't a huge gap between the two. That's all I said.

 

But there is. There's a gap in history of about 20 players between both. (21 between Pele and CRonaldo )

 

I'm one that thinks there's a big gap between the two of them, but I'd struggle to put 5 players ahead of CRonaldo from my life time, let alone 20. How old are you again?

[Village Idiot]

I was about to say the same, I can't think of 20 players better than Cronaldo... Messi, Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff...?

 

Probably the original Ronaldo if he hadn't shattered his knee, but he did f*** up his knee so we'll never know.

[joeyt]

Pancrate

[colinmk]

How easy is it to get Barca tickets if you live in the UK?

 

Very easy.

[Flip]

This guy last night.

 

 

f*** off. Go give CRonaldo a blowie

 

there isn't a huge gap between the two. That's all I said.

 

But there is. There's a gap in history of about 20 players between both. (21 between Pele and CRonaldo )

 

I'm one that thinks there's a big gap between the two of them, but I'd struggle to put 5 players ahead of CRonaldo from my life time, let alone 20. How old are you again?

 

Was just taking the piss with Froggy. In my lifetime Zidane, real Ronaldo and Messi are above CRonaldo in terms of footballing ability.

 

Although I really don't see this Cristiano everyone talks about, every time I see Real he's at the end of plays scoring goals and but he just lacks something which players like Zidane, Ronaldo and Messi had. He lacks this pure magic. It's my opinion obviously, but there's something about his game that for me doesn't translate into what the others did. It's a personal preference to natural ability probably. He's a machine and I won't take that away from him and has deserved the Ballon d'Or he has won. 2nd best player of his generation and also by a large margin.

 

But, I know CRonaldo scores in a lot of big games and his stats in the El Clasico is excellent, but he doesn't do nearly as much as the others did in big games. He doesn't contribute regurarly like the others do/did in the most important games such as the CL final last year or against Juve the other night. He will always be scoring goals for fun, but I want more from a guy to be considered a top 5 footballer of all times.

[Flip]

How easy is it to get Barca tickets if you live in the UK?

 

Very easy.

 

A guy I know got tickets to the game yesterday a day before from the Barcelona website.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I think we've have this before. I loved Zidane, but in my mind there's no way that he's ahead of CRonaldo, or Xavi for that matter.

[Flip]

I think we've have this before. I loved Zidane, but in my mind there's no way that he's ahead of CRonaldo, or Xavi for that matter.

 

Yeah I don't agree on that. For me, in terms of sheer consistency against shittier teams maybe not, but big players make names for themselves in big games. Zidane won a World Cup final, a CL final and carried a pretty average French side to another World Cup final. Only player I can see carrying his team through moments like that is Messi. Xavi and Iniesta for all they've achieved had each other and also Busquets and Xabi Alonso as well as Senna in 2008. Three of them are probably three of the greatest midfielders Spain has had. They all played together, they all fit into a system. Zidane changed between systems and was superior in big games. 

[Mole_Toonfan]

I think we've have this before. I loved Zidane, but in my mind there's no way that he's ahead of CRonaldo, or Xavi for that matter.

 

In terms of pure impact on winning and his team I'd say he is, very few could do what Zidane did at the World Cup in 2006.

 

Not the fucking headbutt before anyone says it and this is coming from someone who finds Zidane overrated because of his inconsistencies at club level.

[Village Idiot]

I have seen Zidane sleepwalk through way too many games to put him at the top of footballing altars. I think it takes something special for Messi and Ronaldo to be Messi and Ronaldo almost every game. That's why both have these ridiculous stats in addition of performing in big games. Their consistency is ridiculous.