Football's greatest - where does Lionel Messi rank?

[Neil]

He plays and stars in the Champions League. Meaning he plays against the very best teams across all of Europe. What difference would playing against the average and poor ones make?

 

It could come down to that somewhat inherent resistence to accepting that Messi right NOW could be the best EVER. That sense of wanting to find an obstacle for him because he can't be better than 'historic' players.

[Guest neesy111]

Everyone of the great players in history have all had different circumstances surrounding when & where they played etc, their influences to their teams were different etc so it's all just based on opinions.

 

I've said it for last 3 years that Messi would become the greatest ever and he's reached it now imo.

 

The amazing thing is how humble he is about it all.

[Unbelievable]

The frightening thing is he is only 24 and could yet improve quite a bit too. Without doubt already one of the all time greats, but time is on his side when it comes to claiming the top spot of all time.

[EthiGeordie]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/lifting-the-lid-on-leo-messi-baras-reluctant-superstar-7580676.html

[Dave]

If you scan the forum quickly enough it's pretty easy to see 'Football's greatest - where does Mike Williamson rank?'.

 

Edit: not now obviously.

[mrmojorisin75]

The frightening thing is he is only 24 and could yet improve quite a bit too. Without doubt already one of the all time greats, but time is on his side when it comes to claiming the top spot of all time.

 

when you think of how players generally improve their composure, vision and decision making as they get older....

[Guest firetotheworks]

A stat that I've quite enjoyed recently is this:

 

So far this season Lionel Messi has scored more than Spurs.

 

[QBG]

Its a bit daft comparing him to Pele and Maradona, as people have said they played in completely different eras. Still he's probably the best I've seen in my lifetime. C.Ronaldo is up there for sheer goalscoring ability, but Zidane remains my personal favourite.

[Guest gggg]

Don't buy the "needs to move clubs" stuff. Just watch him play football. He is the best.

 

It's rubbish imo, Maradona is the only one who could be argued play for a "lesser" team and even that is massive hyperbole imo....

 

The Napoli and Argentina sides that Maradona were apart of where miles better than people give them credit for, the way people talk you would think it was the equivalent of Messi going to Wigan and winning the PL and that was simply not the case Napoli and Argentina had some wonderful players outside of Maradona.

 

Also agree with mojorisin.

 

Argentina were mainly made up of journeymen in 86, Valdano would be the only player you could describe as wonderful. Nowhere near their squads of 82 or especially 78 and no one gave them a chance. It wasn't as good as the team they have now either, so there's nothing stopping Messi performing in a World Cup like Maradona or all the other all time greats did, apart from the ones who didn't get the opportunity like Best and Di Stefano.

 

Napoli had some quality players, Careca, De Napoli, Ferrara but other teams in Italy had even better at the time. Sacchi's Milan had the three best Dutch players plus the best back 4 in the world, Trapattoni's Inter had the three best Germans and Zenga, Bergomi etc, Sampdoria had had a great team with Vialli, Mancini, Pagliuca etc, Juventus had their best ever team, Roma had a great European Cup final team, even Udinese had Zico. Napoli had finished one point above the relegation zone the season before he joined and were champions for the first time ever three years later, It wasn't like going to Wigan and winning the league but it would have been mid table without him.

[Mole_Toonfan]

You seem to be neglecting the fact Argentina's defence was utterly fantastic in 86, ok going forward outside of Valdano and Maradona it could be argued wasnt the best but thier defence more than made up for it.......

 

I agree they wouldnt have won it without Maradona but the mere fact people make them out to be average without him is utter crap IMO so goes for Napoli they had a wonderful side who wouldnt of won the league without Maradona but they still wouldnt have finished mid table IMO.

 

Yes they nearly got relegated before he joined but signing Maradona was the catalyst for others to join, they had a great side but it wasnt Maradona and 10 scrubs like its often portrayed.

[HawK]

A stat that I've quite enjoyed recently is this:

 

So far this season Lionel Messi has scored more than Spurs.

 

 

[Dr.Spaceman]

Mesis has scored double the amount of goals Wigan have.

[Guest gggg]

I agree they wouldnt have won it without Maradona but the mere fact people make them out to be average without him is utter crap IMO so goes for Napoli they had a wonderful side who wouldnt of won the league without Maradona but they still wouldnt have finished mid table IMO.

 

Well they were 5th favorites at best and would probably have gone out in the quarters without him which is pretty average, as England have shown recently.

 

Yes they nearly got relegated before he joined but signing Maradona was the catalyst for others to join, they had a great side but it wasnt Maradona and 10 scrubs like its often portrayed.

 

Maradona was their only foreigner in 87, so at best he was the catalyst for some second rate Italians to join. De Napoli and Bagni were the only ones with a good amount of caps for Italy.

 

Roma by contrast had Boniek, Ancelotti, Conti, Giannini, Berggreen and finished 7th. I can't see how Napoli would get higher than 8th, which was exactly the middle of the table.

[Hughesy]

Its a bit daft comparing him to Pele and Maradona, as people have said they played in completely different eras. Still he's probably the best I've seen in my lifetime. C.Ronaldo is up there for sheer goalscoring ability, but Zidane remains my personal favourite.

 

Agree with a lot of that.  Personally, I just loved watching Zidane play.  He had it all.

[alpal78]

I agree they wouldnt have won it without Maradona but the mere fact people make them out to be average without him is utter crap IMO so goes for Napoli they had a wonderful side who wouldnt of won the league without Maradona but they still wouldnt have finished mid table IMO.

 

Well they were 5th favorites at best and would probably have gone out in the quarters without him which is pretty average, as England have shown recently.

 

Yes they nearly got relegated before he joined but signing Maradona was the catalyst for others to join, they had a great side but it wasnt Maradona and 10 scrubs like its often portrayed.

 

Maradona was their only foreigner in 87, so at best he was the catalyst for some second rate Italians to join. De Napoli and Bagni were the only ones with a good amount of caps for Italy.

 

Roma by contrast had Boniek, Ancelotti, Conti, Giannini, Berggreen and finished 7th. I can't see how Napoli would get higher than 8th, which was exactly the middle of the table.

 

Top post coz you have specific details.  Others just make claims that they can't back up

[Mole_Toonfan]

I agree they wouldnt have won it without Maradona but the mere fact people make them out to be average without him is utter crap IMO so goes for Napoli they had a wonderful side who wouldnt of won the league without Maradona but they still wouldnt have finished mid table IMO.

 

Well they were 5th favorites at best and would probably have gone out in the quarters without him which is pretty average, as England have shown recently.

 

Yes they nearly got relegated before he joined but signing Maradona was the catalyst for others to join, they had a great side but it wasnt Maradona and 10 scrubs like its often portrayed.

 

Maradona was their only foreigner in 87, so at best he was the catalyst for some second rate Italians to join. De Napoli and Bagni were the only ones with a good amount of caps for Italy.

 

Roma by contrast had Boniek, Ancelotti, Conti, Giannini, Berggreen and finished 7th. I can't see how Napoli would get higher than 8th, which was exactly the middle of the table.

 

5th favourites is average now? You and i obviously have a very different interpretation of the word "average" and about Roma i would argue they underperformed they had the players to finish higher imo while i can agree across the board they had better players than Napoli i dont think Napoli would have finished that low although it is true without Maradona signing half of the players or perhaps more wouldnt have joined.

 

My argument is they had a very good team with or without Maradona and not a crap team that without Maradona would have struggled to finish in the top half like some portray.

 

Maradona was that special player that took them to a level they would have never reached without him but even so they were not scrubs like people say.

 

Oh and Maradona joined in 84 not 87.

 

[Guest Howaythetoon]

It is impossible to say who is the greatest ever player of all time because we all have our different views and we have greats from each era that each can lay claim to being the best or up there with the best. What we can establish is that Messi deserves to be hailed as great as Pele, Maradona et al for what he has achieved and is acheiving and will achieve. He may not be a better all-rounder than Pele or as charasmatic as Maradona but the lad is unstopbable. Yes he plays in a great side with great players but Messi makes Barcelona a great side and others great too. He would perform in any side at any level. He may not score 50 goals a season or so for Real Mallorca for example but he would still excell.

 

Regarding the likes of Pele, he obviously stood out statistically but what made him a great to fans of the game was because no-one had seen anything like him before than and the same applied to Maradona. Cruyff was obviously a great player but Maradona stood out ahead him, he was that good. And Messi is that kind of player. I'd love to see him live at St. James' Park someday and plan to take in a Barca game some time soon just to see him live.

[Heron]

Messi is number one after Alan Shearer.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Torres and Carroll have scored as many goals this season as Messi has hat tricks.

[Ronaldo]

Messi is number one after Alan Shearer.

 

The said thing is, you actually mean that.

[Heron]

Messi is number one after Alan Shearer.

 

The said thing is, you actually mean that.

 

I'm guessing you mean 'sad'?

[Interpolic]

Messi is number one after Alan Shearer.

 

The said thing is, you actually mean that.

 

I'm guessing you mean 'sad'?

 

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm163/mountaineer4/gladje4.gif

[Tooj]

It is impossible to say who is the greatest ever player of all time because we all have our different views and we have greats from each era that each can lay claim to being the best or up there with the best. What we can establish is that Messi deserves to be hailed as great as Pele, Maradona et al for what he has achieved and is acheiving and will achieve. He may not be a better all-rounder than Pele or as charasmatic as Maradona but the lad is unstopbable. Yes he plays in a great side with great players but Messi makes Barcelona a great side and others great too. He would perform in any side at any level. He may not score 50 goals a season or so for Real Mallorca for example but he would still excell.

 

Regarding the likes of Pele, he obviously stood out statistically but what made him a great to fans of the game was because no-one had seen anything like him before than and the same applied to Maradona. Cruyff was obviously a great player but Maradona stood out ahead him, he was that good. And Messi is that kind of player. I'd love to see him live at St. James' Park someday and plan to take in a Barca game some time soon just to see him live.

 

You've changed your tune like.

[M4]

I'm guessing you mean 'sad'?

 

Huh, ironic that word should be mistyped when he knows so much about it.

[Mr. Snrub]

Don't buy the "needs to move clubs" stuff. Just watch him play football. He is the best.

 

Funny how no one uses this shite for other greats like Maldini and Xavi.

 

It's just a pathetic argument made up by Ronaldo fan boys who are trying to use Messi's loyalty as a negative thing because they just can't enjoy watching both players and admit who is better.  It's really quite sad.

 

He loves the club and he wouldn't be where he is today only for Barcelona and has spearheaded them into arguably the best club team of all time.  But aye, he should walk away from all this and take about an 80% pay cut and go to Mallorca just to prove something to a bunch of huffy kids.