Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona?

[Team Melli Fan]

By Carlo Garganese

Apr 7, 2010 4:00:00 PM





International LevelMedals & TrophiesGoals Scored & AssistsFair Play & Off The PitchStyle Of Play, Technical, Physical & Mental QualitiesLongevity

Source

[Team Melli Fan]

*Note: Poll votes are public.

[Team Melli Fan]

Wikipedia - Lionel Messi

Wikipedia - Diego Maradona

[persianbruin]

maradona the GOD of football.
We have all seen Messi play (and he is GREAT) but we haven't all seen Maradona play live

[KasraKhan]

Messi is great, I am not questioning that, but he cant be mentioned in the same breath as Diego until he plays like this in the WC and brings home the trophy as well.

Until that day, they shouldnt be compared.

Lets be frank, the CL is great and all, but the most grand stage in football is the World Cup, it always has been and it always will be. He needs do play like this when on the grandest stage of all.

[Team Melli Fan]

i dont understand why ppl compare messi with maradona and say that he hasnt done anything internationally. the question is who is the better player. i thought its gameplay that represents who u are n how u play...not the trophies.

[persianbruin]

i dont understand why ppl compare messi with maradona and say that he hasnt done anything internationally. the question is who is the better player. i thought its gameplay that represents who u are n how u play...not the trophies.

its not just the trophy. The way he played in international games was just amazing. You had to see it to believe it I have seen goals from maradona far better than the great ones by messi. again messi is probably the most technically gifted player in the history after Maradona and Cryuff and he might surpass both but he is not there yet

[Team Melli Fan]

its not just the trophy. The way he played in international games was just amazing. You had to see it to believe it I have seen goals from maradona far better than the great ones by messi. again messi is probably the most technically gifted player in the history after Maradona and Cryuff and he might surpass both but he is not there yet

im not gonna lie, i havent seen as many of maradona's games as ive seen messi's

that guy is old...bring in the new! its all about messi atm. im sure by the end of his career, he'll surpass maradona & pele

[persianbruin]

im not gonna lie, i havent seen as many of maradona's games as ive seen messi's
that guy is old...bring in the new! its all about messi atm. im sure by the end of his career, he'll surpass maradona & pele

He might and thats the exciting part! we all ahve front seat to greatness

[Amin_]

This is just ridiculous! Messi is amazing, but nowhere near Maradona YET!

Messi is playing in the best team of the world, probably the best Barca team ever. Maradona became champions with a team like Napoli lol
He brought the WC to Argentina, basically all by himself.

Messi is just a rookie, we need to wait and see if he's able to keep this up and how he will do at the biggest stage of all, which is the WC.

Maybe Messi has the potential to surpass Maradona during his career (which I doubt btw), but the comparison and the question of who is better at this moment is ridiculous!

[Amin_]

I just read the article. At first I didn't wanna read it because it comes from goal.com, but it wasn't that bad actually.

This part says a lot:

Maradona was world class from at least 1979-1990. Messi has been among the best players in the world for at least four years now. If he can maintain this current level until he is 30, then he will have matched Diego’s longevity.

Whether or not he can match Maradona altogether is another question entirely.

[karimi_jaadogar]

^^ You are right but we must keep in mind that during Maradonas time football was not professional career, it was more like a hobby. But now football is much stronger and unlike Maradonas era. I doubt if Maradona was playing in this era could have done much, yes he would be a good player and maybe lift some trophies but it would not be an easy task for him like it was decades ago.

[Amin_]

^^ You are right but we must keep in mind that during Maradonas time football was not professional career, it was more like a hobby. But now football is much stronger and unlike Maradonas era. I doubt if Maradona was playing in this era could have done much, yes he would be a good player and maybe lift some trophies but it would not be an easy task for him like it was decades ago.

It's all relative. The trainings and professionalism of everything involved in the game has gone up. Maradona was a genius. It's not all about physical toghness, the man had brilliant passes as a playmaker, an unmatched technique and amazing shooting abilities. I have no doubt in my mind that he would EASILY keep up in today's football with his genius game reading, technique, playmaking and shots.

Also, it's not like we're talking about the 50's; in the 90's football was quite professional and on quite a high level.

Players like Maradona, Cruijff, Van Basten, Zidane and a couple more are the kind of players who would be able to compete in every timeage, simply because of their understanding of the game and their brilliance.
For instance Zidane was not the fastest player, but he made his presence felt with his leadership and amazing playmaking. He couldn't dribble like Messi, but he was a genius who would easily be able to perform likewise (in terms of importance for his team) in today's football or the football in the future!

[Masoud_A]

LOL reminds me of all the LBJ vs MJ debates.

[Haf3z]

The day Lionel Messi is crowned World Champion (after having led his team to victory in the WC finals) he deserves to be named the best before Diego Maradona.