Messi - The greatest player ever?

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Spursdem said:
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Every single bit of that move is sensational. The first header, his body possition to get between oppo and ball, that audacious mid-air trap drag back thingy (that was witchcraft), the speed over 3yrds that takes him away from the oppo, to then come across the oppo to stop the 2nd player coming alongside him, to drawing out a third player towards him, but then still getting the pass off.
 
Pelé: “Messi, the best ever? How can you make a comparison between a guy (me) who heads the ball well, shoots with the left, shoots with the right, and another Messi) who only shoots with one leg, only has one skill, doesn’t head the ball well?”


If only Messi had played his whole career against farmers in Brazil.
 
Pele's a legend of the game of course for the amount of world cups he's won, legendary teams he's been on etc. But people who call him the GOAT need to take up another sport. He spent his whole career in Brazil where there was no offside, played against semi pros, and scored a large chunk of his recorded goals in friendlies.

These quotes are rather strange though, as Pele has been very generous with his praise of Messi in the past.
 
TomHotspur said:
Pele's a legend of the game of course for the amount of world cups he's won, legendary teams he's been on etc. But people who call him the GOAT need to take up another sport. He spent his whole career in Brazil where there was no offside, played against semi pros, and scored a large chunk of his recorded goals in friendlies.

These quotes are rather strange though, as Pele has been very generous with his praise of Messi in the past.
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Diego has probably pissed him off again.
 
You'd think for being the greatest footballer to have ever lived in the history of football, Pele would have at least have been the top goalscorer during a World Cup wouldn't you?

I wonder how much moaning he'll do once Neymar overtakes him as Brazils top ever goalscorer.
 
Jerry said:
You left out Bendtner.
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TomHotspur said:
I'd go along with that...
1. Messi
2. Maradona
3. Cristiano
4. Cruyff
5. Pele
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Will always be Maradona for me because he did it on the biggest occasion, played in good but not brilliant sides and elevated them and just because it has to be club and country in my opinion.

Messi best club player maybe but even that is arguable.

But that top 5 is hard to contest although Cruyff???
 
TomHotspur said:
I'd go along with that...
1. Messi
2. Maradona
3. Cristiano
4. Cruyff
5. Pele
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It's always hard to leave Zidane and Iniesta out of these sort of lists.

Again, don't really care for international trophies, those are team awards not individual. Messi's consistency and individual awards and accolades should put him top of the list rightly.
 
There has only been one player who was regarded as one of the best players in the world at 17. And at 31. And all the years between.

That is Lionel Messi.

Compare his greatness year by year to the other greats and you'll see none them were as consistently brilliant over such a long span of time.

Messi was in discussion as being the best player in the world at ages 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31.

Name me a player who has had as many years being discussed as the best player in the world, and I will concede.
 
Notabadsquad said:
Will always be Maradona for me because he did it on the biggest occasion, played in good but not brilliant sides and elevated them and just because it has to be club and country in my opinion.
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Yeah can understand that. Have huge respect for Maradona and his World Cup win coupled with his Napoli days make him a good shout for the GOAT. But I just think Messi's brilliance from his debut right up to this present day spanning over 10 years, coupled with everything he's won of course, makes him the best ever for me. Add this to the fact the guy has literally given every inch to win silverware for his country, and if it weren't for simple rotten luck and some woeful mistakes from teammates, (Higuain cough) Messi would very easily have at least 2 Int trophies. I know thats a lot of ifs and buts but it is true.

Notabadsquad said:
But that top 5 is hard to contest although Cruyff???
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Any top five ever has to include Cruyff IMO. Arguably the best European footballer ever for me, and his genius and ideas revolutionised the game and moulded a lot of the brilliant coaches and styles of play we see today.
 
Totti said:
It's always hard to leave Zidane and Iniesta out of these sort of lists.

Again, don't really care for international trophies, those are team awards not individual. Messi's consistency and individual awards and accolades should put him top of the list rightly.
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Yeah good shout. The likes of Iniesta, Xavi, R9, Kaka etc could all put decent shouts to get in ahead of Pelé I think...
Must say I could never get on the Zidane bandwagon myself though. Maybe my judgement on his footballing ability has been clouded slightly by the fact that he's a bit of a bell end.
 
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