Wishlist Lionel Messi

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

It's true though. Messi is one of the all time greats but is not the all time great, and we don't need to speak of Pele or Maradona to know that.

The fact you think Romario and Ronaldo are better than him creates a misleading suggestion, considering actual Brazilians claim Messi is better than both.

Pele wasn't even the greatest Brazilian for starters.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

The fact you think Romario and Ronaldo are better than him creates a misleading suggestion, considering actual Brazilians claim Messi is better than both.

Pele wasn't even the greatest Brazilian for starters.

Judging from my experience, most Brazilians will disagree that Messi is better than Romario. Messi had the chance to prove he was the best ever at the WC but couldn't. Others like Maradona and Romario carried average teams on their back and won the World Cup for their country, Messi had his individual moments but often looked laboured and all too easily shackled by defenses. The so-called best ever player wasn't even the best player on his team. His free-kick in the dying minutes against Germany just summed it up.

There's really no reason for me to rate Messi higher than Romario, for instance. Romario has more goals (it's unlikely Messi will ever eclipse his tally), and IMO, roughly the same amount of quality and ability, Messi being more explosive and a better dribbler while Romario had more flair, flashy skills, better movement and was a lethal finisher. He's arguably the greatest finisher of all time, though some will say Muller or Puskas were better.

This is the most important fact. Messi has had the privilege of playing in one of the strongest teams in European football history for virtually all his career, ahead of the Xavi and Iniesta duo and alongside forwards like Eto'o and Villa who made space for him with their movement and runs. Now that he has neither, he's not looking as dominant as before. Maradona for instance never played for such a dominant team but still distinguished himself as the best of his era, be it Napoli or with Argentina. I personally won't be surprised if Ronaldo surpasses him in the next 2-3 years as the absolute best of his generation.

It's mostly the younger generation that think Messi and Ronaldo are the best players ever when this couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, there are some respected footballing people that have said Messi is the best ever, but for as many have said that, there are even more who say otherwise. Mourinho doesn't believe it, neither do I.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Judging from my experience, most Brazilians will disagree that Messi is better than Romario. Messi had the chance to prove he was the best ever at the WC but couldn't. Others like Maradona and Romario carried average teams on their back and won the World Cup for their country, Messi had his individual moments but often looked laboured and all too easily shackled by defenses. The so-called best ever player wasn't even the best player on his team. His free-kick in the dying minutes against Germany just summed it up.

There's really no reason for me to rate Messi higher than Romario, for instance. Romario has more goals (it's unlikely Messi will ever eclipse his tally), and IMO, roughly the same amount of quality and ability, Messi being more explosive and a better dribbler while Romario had more flair, flashy skills, better movement and was a lethal finisher. He's arguably the greatest finisher of all time, though some will say Muller or Puskas were better.

This is the most important fact. Messi has had the privilege of playing in one of the strongest teams in European football history for virtually all his career, ahead of the Xavi and Iniesta duo and alongside forwards like Eto'o and Villa who made space for him with their movement and runs. Now that he has neither, he's not looking as dominant as before. Maradona for instance never played for such a dominant team but still distinguished himself as the best of his era, be it Napoli or with Argentina. I personally won't be surprised if Ronaldo surpasses him in the next 2-3 years as the absolute best of his generation.

It's mostly the younger generation that think Messi and Ronaldo are the best players ever when this couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, there are some respected footballing people that have said Messi is the best ever, but for as many have said that, there are even more who say otherwise. Mourinho doesn't believe it, neither do I.

Stopped reading at Romario carried an average team.

[Madmax 9,219]

Messi had 3 countries he could of played for...

Spain

Italy

argentina

Chose the country was the least amount of chance for glory and team success...

Footballer represents the country of his birth. Give the man a medal.

[Rom2013 446]

Judging from my experience, most Brazilians will disagree that Messi is better than Romario. Messi had the chance to prove he was the best ever at the WC but couldn't. Others like Maradona and Romario carried average teams on their back and won the World Cup for their country, Messi had his individual moments but often looked laboured and all too easily shackled by defenses. The so-called best ever player wasn't even the best player on his team. His free-kick in the dying minutes against Germany just summed it up.

There's really no reason for me to rate Messi higher than Romario, for instance. Romario has more goals (it's unlikely Messi will ever eclipse his tally), and IMO, roughly the same amount of quality and ability, Messi being more explosive and a better dribbler while Romario had more flair, flashy skills, better movement and was a lethal finisher. He's arguably the greatest finisher of all time, though some will say Muller or Puskas were better.

This is the most important fact. Messi has had the privilege of playing in one of the strongest teams in European football history for virtually all his career, ahead of the Xavi and Iniesta duo and alongside forwards like Eto'o and Villa who made space for him with their movement and runs. Now that he has neither, he's not looking as dominant as before. Maradona for instance never played for such a dominant team but still distinguished himself as the best of his era, be it Napoli or with Argentina. I personally won't be surprised if Ronaldo surpasses him in the next 2-3 years as the absolute best of his generation.

It's mostly the younger generation that think Messi and Ronaldo are the best players ever when this couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, there are some respected footballing people that have said Messi is the best ever, but for as many have said that, there are even more who say otherwise. Mourinho doesn't believe it, neither do I.

I really don't know with which brazilian people you are talking with... but I would say less than 1% of the population of Brazil thinks Romario was better than Messi (and for me 1% is a really high percentage).

Messi is a lot better than ROmario, and over the years was also a lot better than Ronaldo (this one can be debatable since Ronaldo was a great and had a lot of injury problems).

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Stopped reading at Romario carried an average team.

Maybe average is too strong but he wasn't surrounded with the same talent as Messi has with Argentina. Of course you have nothing else to add to the discussion, that's what normally happens when you stop reading when you don't like something you've read.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Maybe average is too strong but he wasn't surrounded with the same talent as Messi has with Argentina. Of course you have nothing else to add to the discussion, that's what normally happens when you stop reading when you don't like something you've read.

See previous pages or football controversies thread. I can't be bothered explaining myself again.

[iseah100 5,612]

Messi> Ronaldo. End of.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

You're going a path you most certainly dont want to go.

Messi might be better than Romario. But he isn't better than pre injury Ronaldo brazilian imo

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Ridiculous. Even at only 27

[Nike 373]

The fact you think Romario and Ronaldo are better than him creates a misleading suggestion, considering actual Brazilians claim Messi is better than both.

Pele wasn't even the greatest Brazilian for starters.

1-2 brazilians doesnt repesent a whole nation....

It's too bad because Neymar will be the next generation god, just like messi and cr7 was to this generation...

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Messi might be better than Romario. But he isn't better than pre injury Ronaldo brazilian imo

Sorry but I don't know how people can contest that. Messi when he was at his highest performances of his career was scoring 40+ a season, creating so many goals and he was churning out world class performances when he wanted to. Sure you can say Barca played to Messi's strength but so did most teams Ronaldo played for. What we seen of Ronaldo in his best years was great too obviously, a world class player, a true great but Messi is the greatest.

[Nike 373]

Sorry but I don't know how people can contest that. Messi when he was at his highest performances of his career was scoring 40+ a season, creating so many goals and he was churning out world class performances when he wanted to. Sure you can say Barca played to Messi's strength but so did most teams Ronaldo played for. What we seen of Ronaldo in his best years was great too obviously, a world class player, a true great but Messi is the greatest.

Your 18 years old...

I highly doubt you saw Ronaldo at his peak..

[illmatic 901]

The Ronaldo of the Barcelona season and 2 first seasons in Inter, is probably the best player ever. With 20 years score almost 50 goals with Barcelona, in one season... 50 goals with 20 years!!!! INHUMAN. In a Spanish league very much more balanced, when Barcelona couldn't score 5/6 goals every matches. In the spanish league of the last years, he would make so little, the records of goals of Messi and Cristiano.

This guy without injury would not have comparative in the history.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Your 18 years old...

I highly doubt you saw Ronaldo at his peak..

Just because I am 18 years old that doesn't mean I haven't seen videos or taped games of him from years ago when most of my family are football daft does it? Sure I didn't see him live but relatives of mines who were passionate about football did get to watch him when he was younger. Ignorant bastard.