Is Messi the best you've seen?

[horshamite]

The mosy enjoyable things in life are messy.



Oh, with an 'i', sorry.

 

[wallyback]

You've not watched a spanish league game then.

They will do ANYTHING in their power to stop him and he just gets up, brushes himself down and carries on.

I have, but you obviously weren't around watching football in the 60s and 70s.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I have, but you obviously weren't around watching football in the 60s and 70s.

The FORCE of a foul is of literally no relevance in this argument though.

If you are fouled and stopped, it doesnt matter how strong the take-down was.

Messi is CONSTANTLY tugged at, tripped etc. All little niggly fouls to stop him in full flow, yet he STILL scores all these goals.

So the argument that "Pele was playing in a tough time where less fouls were given" is pointless. If a foul is given in Messi's favour then it has still stopped him full in full flow.

Luckily, Messi is phenomenal at free kicks as well so he can often pop those into the top corner as a result of a foul. Perhaps the only point where the argument is relevant.

 

[wallyback]

The FORCE of a foul is of literally no relevance in this argument though.

If you are fouled and stopped, it doesnt matter how strong the take-down was.

Messi is CONSTANTLY tugged at, tripped etc. All little niggly fouls to stop him in full flow, yet he STILL scores all these goals.

So the argument that "Pele was playing in a tough time where less fouls were given" is pointless. If a foul is given in Messi's favour then it has still stopped him full in full flow.

Luckily, Messi is phenomenal at free kicks as well so he can often pop those into the top corner as a result of a foul. Perhaps the only point where the argument is relevant.

Force is a huge mental deterrent.
Also to be taken into account is pitch quality - Messi hasn't had to dibble through many quagmires.
The weight and flight of the ball.