Messi: not just great, but the best?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

The backlash for Messi was hilarious and embarassing from so called "football fans" around the world lmao. Yes, he hasn't won the World Cup for Argentina & I guess he won't surpass Maradonna when speak of them both. I guess he could never do it on a cold night in Stoke either

Get a grip. Anyone who thinks Messi, on his form, wasn't the greatest player of his generation is the same people who watch big names for 2 matches and aready decide they're overrated/rubbish (see Cavani v Chelsea this season).

The World Cup this season wasn't won by a team with an outstanding individual, it was won by the best team. Messi will still stand out as the greatest of his generation, he earned his stripes already and he shouldn't continue to have to keep proving that. 5 time ballon d'Or champions and his numerous records & accoldaes speak for themselves. So I wholeheartedly believe in the title of this thread.

[iseah100 5,612]

The backlash for Messi was hilarious and embarassing from so called "football fans" around the world lmao. Yes, he hasn't won the World Cup for Argentina & I guess he won't surpass Maradonna when speak of them both. I guess he could never do it on a cold night in Stoke either

Get a grip. Anyone who thinks Messi, on his form, wasn't the greatest player of his generation is the same people who watch big names for 2 matches and aready decide they're overrated/rubbish (see Cavani v Chelsea this season).

The World Cup this season wasn't won by a team with an outstanding individual, it was won by the best team. Messi will still stand out as the greatest of his generation, he earned his stripes already and he shouldn't continue to have to keep proving that. 5 time ballon d'Or champions and his numerous records & accoldaes speak for themselves. So I wholeheartedly believe in the title of this thread.

Absolutely. I don't think he NEEDED to a world cup to be the greatest ever. He is a the best I've ever seen. 4x Ballon d'Or , 2x CL champ, holds numerous records, and the most technically gifted player I've ever seen. Best player of this generation and anyone who thinks he is a choker needs to stop watching football.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I do kinda wonder if we will ever see Messi at his devastating best again like he was under Guardiola. His goalscoring figures are still impressive even under Vilanova and Martino but his performances since Guardiola left Barcelona have been somewhat fragmented and inconsistent to say the least.

I think we will. Something like this should kickstart him again, to continue to try and do it on the international stage by improving club form. The problem is, Barcelona now have Neymar and Suarez where before Messi had the support of Xavi & Iniesta.. I don't really know how Luis Enrique plans to allow all 3 in a free-role when before it was only Messi who was allowed that liberty.

[cosmicway 1,260]

To become a nominee for "best player ever" you have to wait until you retire and Messi is still active.

There are the likes of Pele, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Maradona he has to compete against.

There is also Di Stefano but I have n't seen him playing (except for once with the colours of Espanyol in his last season as player).

He has some opponents.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

To become a nominee for "best player ever" you have to wait until you retire and Messi is still active.

There are the likes of Pele, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Maradona he has to compete against.

There is also Di Stefano but I have n't seen him playing (except for once with the colours of Espanyol in his last season as player).

He has some opponents.

I don't think you can ever definitively call someone 'best ever' because football always adapts and changes. So much changes, the offside rule, how teams approach football, the evolution of philosophies. So I always go with 'best of their generation', Messi is of his, Maradona maybe of his, Don Alfredo of his etc...

[Tomo 21,681]

The backlash for Messi was hilarious and embarassing from so called "football fans" around the world lmao. Yes, he hasn't won the World Cup for Argentina & I guess he won't surpass Maradonna when speak of them both. I guess he could never do it on a cold night in Stoke either

Get a grip. Anyone who thinks Messi, on his form, wasn't the greatest player of his generation is the same people who watch big names for 2 matches and aready decide they're overrated/rubbish (see Cavani v Chelsea this season).

The World Cup this season wasn't won by a team with an outstanding individual, it was won by the best team. Messi will still stand out as the greatest of his generation, he earned his stripes already and he shouldn't continue to have to keep proving that. 5 time ballon d'Or champions and his numerous records & accoldaes speak for themselves. So I wholeheartedly believe in the title of this thread.

Also to add knockout competitions are a dangerous way to judge people.

If Costa Rica won their shootout vs Holland then who knows, 2 games, adrenaline high, players that would die for their country, keeper on the form of his life they might have done aGreece.

Yet ultimately if that happened it would be the ultimate freak show and those players would go back to being average players for the rest of their careers.

That is why I don't buy the, you have to do it in the World Cup to prove your greatness.

[Jase 43,479]

I think we will. Something like this should kickstart him again, to continue to try and do it on the international stage by improving club form. The problem is, Barcelona now have Neymar and Suarez where before Messi had the support of Xavi & Iniesta.. I don't really know how Luis Enrique plans to allow all 3 in a free-role when before it was only Messi who was allowed that liberty.

Perhaps so but then again, the system and the way Barcelona played under Guardiola suited Messi to the max and brought the devastating best out of him. Ever since Guardiola left, Messi has never quite been the same. There are different tweaks to the system now under the different managers (with different ideas) and also to accomodate different set of players that has hampered him to some extent.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Neuer? Nah, I feel like that's a pitcher winning MVP. Goalies have their own awards. James led in scoring and 2 assists in 5 games. Clearly the best player.

He was Germany's best goalkeeper, defender and second-best midfielder after Schweini, give the bloke some credit.

[Korea 734]

He was Germany's best goalkeeper, defender and second-best midfielder after Schweini, give the bloke some credit.

Neuer athletic ability/skills compensate for having 3 slow cbs starting +mertasacker.

Neuer is going to set the precedent on how goalkeepers will play moving forward.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Neuer athletic ability/skills compensate for having 3 slow cbs starting +mertasacker.

Neuer is going to set the precedent on how goalkeepers will play moving forward.

Lloris started it tbh..

[Korea 734]

Lahm=best full back since Maldini.

[Korea 734]

I feel bad the younger kids never got to watch el phenomenon....

Has there ever been a player with both superior athletic and technical ability and fire. (maybe maradonna, but he was before my time).

[cosmicway 1,260]

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Lloris started it tbh..

Lloris has the advantage of age...

Lloris was the first "sweeper keeper" but Neuer beats him all ends up... the same scenario as the English inventing practically inventing every sport under the sun and being shit at them all.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Lloris has the advantage of age...

Lloris was the first "sweeper keeper" but Neuer beats him all ends up... the same scenario as the English inventing practically inventing every sport under the sun and being shit at them all.

Yeah true, but the scope of my comment was only limited to who started that trend. Neur excelled it, but by no means started it.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Alfredo Di Stefano for me are the greatest formulations of natural and gifted technical ability. They were all born to play football. All Argentine as well, must be something in their meat.

[Korea 734]

Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Alfredo Di Stefano for me are the greatest formulations of natural and gifted technical ability. They were all born to play football. All Argentine as well, must be something in their meat.

Ronaldo combination of pure technically ability and physical attributes is the greatest in football.

When his world class speed was gone...

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Ronaldo combination of pure technically ability and physical attributes is the greatest in football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVueW6X7TM0

When his world class speed was gone...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT7wLzO7yaY

There is no denying that. Ronaldo is still to this day the greatest striker I've ever seen, up there with Romario. Shame it had to end so short while he was on top. But as footballers, Maradona, Messi, and Di Stefano differ for me due to them having god gifted talent that came natural to them, almost as a work of art, and what's most astounding is that they all maintained their ability with continuous consistency. Their way of playing benefited the team as a whole, and that's what will be remembered about them the most.