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Football's greatest - where does Lionel Messi rank?


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Balon D'or is mainly about stats now, once Messi and Ronaldo drop off i'd say Neymar has as good chance as any in that regard.

 

I dunno about that mind, I think it's more that the very best players now back it up with things like goals and assists because they're so dominant. Without Messi and Ronaldo, the Ballon D'or would have gone to players like Xavi, Iniesta, Ribery and Nauer. We're just in a huge purple patch with those two at the moment and it's brilliant.

 

To expand on that a little bit, under the old rules Ribery and Sneijder would have won it. It used to be about who was the top contributor to team success now it's about who can score the most and assist the most.

 

Both Messi and Ronaldo have won it while being trophyless and not really doing much in the games the outcome of those trophies. So basically they won it because they wrecked smaller teams.

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Guest firetotheworks

Balon D'or is mainly about stats now, once Messi and Ronaldo drop off i'd say Neymar has as good chance as any in that regard.

 

I dunno about that mind, I think it's more that the very best players now back it up with things like goals and assists because they're so dominant. Without Messi and Ronaldo, the Ballon D'or would have gone to players like Xavi, Iniesta, Ribery and Nauer. We're just in a huge purple patch with those two at the moment and it's brilliant.

 

To expand on that a little bit, under the old rules Ribery and Sneijder would have won it. It used to be about who was the top contributor to team success now it's about who can score the most and assist the most.

 

Both Messi and Ronaldo have won it while being trophyless and not really doing much in the games the outcome of those trophies. So basically they won it because they wrecked smaller teams.

 

They've won it because they've clearly been the best. I'd rather that than under the old interpretation where Cannavaro wins it purely because Italy won the World Cup.

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I personally find the best subjective, when Messi does nothing in a semi final which leads to an Inter treble and his team mates go on to win Spain the World Cup or Ronaldo does nothing in a semi final against Dortmund which leads to a Bayern treble i personally don't consider them the best.

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"I played with him at the New York Cosmos and you would give him the ball and just not see him again because he was too fast."

 

New York Cosmos ay, if only I'd known sooner that he'd played with him in such prestigious team and league!

 

If he's saying that about an old and semi-retired Pele then imagine how good he was before that ;)

 

An old and semi-retired Pele...at New York Cosmos...in the MLS.

 

MLS didn't even exist then. Woeful standards in the US at the time. Absolutely woeful.

 

#teammaradona

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Don't think there will be anyone as good as either for a while. Neymar will probably win one or two ballon d'ors

 

Not sure Neymar will get one. Messi will get another 3 or 4 and then there will be a new guy in the world.

Imagine if Messi ended with like 8 Ballon D'or's :lol: Its definitely possible tbf

I think he'll end up in double figures providing he stays injury free.

 

If Neymar outscores him in the CL, wins Copa America and has a better start it's going to end up in Brazil.

 

On a serious note, if Cristiano wins it and Messi doesn't i'll give up on football.

 

He's only 4 years younger than Messi. At his peak, Messi will still be Messi, don't see any reason why he couldn't though. That front 3 has been so dreamy to watch.

 

Closer to five than four but I get your point. I seriously doubt Neymar will be the best around when Messi retires/becomes too old. Will have to be someone new coming through. Neymar is very good but it's sad when he's not really close to being a Ronaldo, Romario, Rivaldo or Ronaldinho. He's not even a Kaka.

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Don't think there will be anyone as good as either for a while. Neymar will probably win one or two ballon d'ors

 

Not sure Neymar will get one. Messi will get another 3 or 4 and then there will be a new guy in the world.

Imagine if Messi ended with like 8 Ballon D'or's :lol: Its definitely possible tbf

I think he'll end up in double figures providing he stays injury free.

 

If Neymar outscores him in the CL, wins Copa America and has a better start it's going to end up in Brazil.

 

On a serious note, if Cristiano wins it and Messi doesn't i'll give up on football.

 

He's only 4 years younger than Messi. At his peak, Messi will still be Messi, don't see any reason why he couldn't though. That front 3 has been so dreamy to watch.

 

Closer to five than four but I get your point. I seriously doubt Neymar will be the best around when Messi retires/becomes too old. Will have to be someone new coming through. Neymar is very good but it's sad when he's not really close to being a Ronaldo, Romario, Rivaldo or Ronaldinho. He's not even a Kaka.

Someone has hacked Flip

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Don't think there will be anyone as good as either for a while. Neymar will probably win one or two ballon d'ors

 

Not sure Neymar will get one. Messi will get another 3 or 4 and then there will be a new guy in the world.

Imagine if Messi ended with like 8 Ballon D'or's :lol: Its definitely possible tbf

I think he'll end up in double figures providing he stays injury free.

 

If Neymar outscores him in the CL, wins Copa America and has a better start it's going to end up in Brazil.

 

On a serious note, if Cristiano wins it and Messi doesn't i'll give up on football.

 

He's only 4 years younger than Messi. At his peak, Messi will still be Messi, don't see any reason why he couldn't though. That front 3 has been so dreamy to watch.

 

Closer to five than four but I get your point. I seriously doubt Neymar will be the best around when Messi retires/becomes too old. Will have to be someone new coming through. Neymar is very good but it's sad when he's not really close to being a Ronaldo, Romario, Rivaldo or Ronaldinho. He's not even a Kaka.

Someone has hacked Flip

 

:lol: lets be honest he's a very good player at the moment with Robben out even a top 5. But I think thats more down to overall quality on an individual level than down to his quality. 10 years ago he'd probably be on the bench of the national side, now he's a star and main guy.

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Don't think there will be anyone as good as either for a while. Neymar will probably win one or two ballon d'ors

 

Not sure Neymar will get one. Messi will get another 3 or 4 and then there will be a new guy in the world.

Imagine if Messi ended with like 8 Ballon D'or's :lol: Its definitely possible tbf

I think he'll end up in double figures providing he stays injury free.

 

If Neymar outscores him in the CL, wins Copa America and has a better start it's going to end up in Brazil.

 

On a serious note, if Cristiano wins it and Messi doesn't i'll give up on football.

 

He's only 4 years younger than Messi. At his peak, Messi will still be Messi, don't see any reason why he couldn't though. That front 3 has been so dreamy to watch.

 

Closer to five than four but I get your point. I seriously doubt Neymar will be the best around when Messi retires/becomes too old. Will have to be someone new coming through. Neymar is very good but it's sad when he's not really close to being a Ronaldo, Romario, Rivaldo or Ronaldinho. He's not even a Kaka.

Someone has hacked Flip

 

:lol: lets be honest he's a very good player at the moment with Robben out even a top 5. But I think thats more down to overall quality on an individual level than down to his quality. 10 years ago he'd probably be on the bench of the national side, now he's a star and main guy.

:lol: No fucking way like

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You can't ever devise a formula for deciding who's the best in the world, or the best of all time.

 

But he's up there with that small bunch of unseparables - Pele, Maradona and Cruyff.

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Guest firetotheworks

I know, but he could have at least went somewhere where we could still legitimately enjoy watching him. Absolute legend of course, the best centre midfielder I've ever seen and easily in my best combined XI with Iniesta.

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I should be used to it, but I can't, I'm still in shock about how good he was yesterday. Two goals, running our attacking unit from the hole, that goal. THAT goal.

 

I'm going to be so depressed when he retires.

That goal was just beyond description, as was his performance. So good.

 

Love Suarez's awareness when he gets in those positions as all, totally selfless.

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