[Football] Messi GOAT?

[KZNSeagull]

David Beckham

Sure. GOATT. Grossly Overrated All The Time

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's down to massive good fortune as to when and where you are born.

That’s life.

 

[Weststander]

I think the coke part is irrelevant in this discussion. Not like you become a better footballer from being coked up all the time (though perhaps it could possibly help you in some indivudal game).

Interesting by the way that no one has mentioned any defenders here. Wonder what it would take for a defender (or goalie or defensive midfielder) to be a part of the discussion.

Franco Baresi.

The best defender ever and a brilliant distributor of the ball.

Footballers even now always mention him as the greatest.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think Messi may be the GOAT, but perhaps he has been allowed to do so. The likes of Pele and Marsdona did not have the protection afforded from modern referees as Leonado has had.

Who’s Leonado?

 

[AstroSloth]

Personal favourite is Johan Cruyff. From age 18 at little known Ajax, with his coach they changed football forever.

GOAT … Messi is the equal of anyone. Only those that didn’t have access to CL and La Liga football missed two decades of genius.

My favourite part of the Cruyff career is the end.

Ajax deemed him not good enough anymore so didn't offer him a new contract which angered him. He then went to Feyenoord and won the league and cup double with them instead, winning Dutch footballer of the year in the process.

 

[AstroSloth]

Zinedine Zidane or Ronaldinho, two of the most amazing players to watch.
And that headbutt is unreal.

Ronaldinho isn't even in the debate for best player of all time.

He's the greatest entertainer but as an overall player he wasn't good enough.

Zidane was also a bit of a hot and cold player, he had so many good moments it overwrites the times he was off form.

 

[Swansman]

My favourite part of the Cruyff career is the end.

Ajax deemed him not good enough anymore so didn't offer him a new contract which angered him. He then went to Feyenoord and won the league and cup double with them instead, winning Dutch footballer of the year in the process.

Everything Cruijff is fantastic.

Like this thing:


While he was contemplating his next career move, Cruijff took a temporary gig as a technical advisor for then Ajax manager Leo Beenhakker. Against Twente they were down 3-2 in half-time and playing shite football. Cruijff walks down from the stands (8.25 into the video), sits next to Beenhakker and tells him what to do.
Ajax then wins the game 5-3.

Typical Cruijff...

(although should be said that Cruijff admitted afterwards that it wasn't a nice move, and that his advice (to sub Tscheu La Ling) wasn't a great one as he ended up doing two assists.... but lets not ruin a good story with these details)

 

[Lenny Rider]

Messi ISN'T Greatest Of All Time - he's behind Pele and Maradona

JEFF POWELL: As the sands of that desert storm settle on Doha, time to calibrate the position the little maestro occupies in that divine triumvirate. The crystal reality, for this genius, is third in history.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Jeff Powell’s respected opinion.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Ronaldinho isn't even in the debate for best player of all time.

He's the greatest entertainer but as an overall player he wasn't good enough.

Zidane was also a bit of a hot and cold player, he had so many good moments it overwrites the times he was off form.

Agree both great, but not in the discussion for the GOAT for me. Throw Neymar into that category as well.

 

[BN9 BHA]

using the word GOAT . Bit nobbish isnt it

Surprised it took so many posts before someone mentioned it.
Sort of phrase I expect young teenage lads that play FIFA games use.

 

[A1X]

Nothing screams “lazy journalism” like trying to compare players from across eras, it totally ignores the massive differences in training, nutrition, fitness, opposition tactics, pitch condition, ball condition etc.

Messi is undoubtedly one of the greatest. But we will never know for certain how he compares with the other contenders as they all played at different times.

 

[thejackal]

Diego by a country mile.

 

[Weststander]

My favourite part of the Cruyff career is the end.

Ajax deemed him not good enough anymore so didn't offer him a new contract which angered him. He then went to Feyenoord and won the league and cup double with them instead, winning Dutch footballer of the year in the process.

The mid 60’s bit is interesting too. This skinny little kid was unplayable. In a European club tie he single handedly destroyed a great Liverpool team.

 

[Bodian]

Likewise, Messi has carried himself with grace and dignity throughout his career, while Ronaldo has had a series of blemishes on his character. He exudes arrogance, perhaps an arrogance that is an integral part of his success story, but nevertheless it detracts from his greatness.

And that's it for me. It elevates Messi far above Ronaldo as a player.

 

[indy3050]

Maradona for me. I’d put Messi above Ronaldo now, after yesterday he’s clear.

 

[Weststander]

Nothing screams “lazy journalism” like trying to compare players from across eras, it totally ignores the massive differences in training, nutrition, fitness, opposition tactics, pitch condition, ball condition etc.

Messi is undoubtedly one of the greatest. But we will never know for certain how he compares with the other contenders as they all played at different times.

Another irrational view is that great players past “wouldn’t have been able to live with the far superior modern athletes”.

Playing in their 20’s in this era, they would get the same conditioning, sports science, dietary information and sports psychology. Augmenting their footballing genius.

 

[Swansman]

Another irrational view is that great players past “wouldn’t have been able to live with the far superior modern athletes”.

Playing in their 20’s in this era, they would get the same conditioning, sports science, dietary information and sports psychology. Augmenting their footballing genius.

Some of the geniuses of the past wouldn't make it today though... which is frankly a loss. There is very, very little room to have any type of eccentric personality in todays football. Good luck getting George Best or Paul Gascoigne or Maradona to wake up at 7 every morning, do some dull but efficient training sessions, rest all afternoon and get in bed by 21 seven days a week.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Pele and Messi for me, sustained brilliance.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Another irrational view is that great players past “wouldn’t have been able to live with the far superior modern athletes”.

Playing in their 20’s in this era, they would get the same conditioning, sports science, dietary information and sports psychology. Augmenting their footballing genius.

Great post and so true.

Pele would be unplayable

 

[A1X]

Another irrational view is that great players past “wouldn’t have been able to live with the far superior modern athletes”.

Playing in their 20’s in this era, they would get the same conditioning, sports science, dietary information and sports psychology. Augmenting their footballing genius.

Exactly. I prefer to enjoy the great players when they come along, 15 years from now there’ll be someone new being compared to the greats too.