JinxyPoop
County: UK
Posts: 1139

1125150 miketyson
County: Limerick
Posts: 2440

1125119 Great player helped by playing in the greatest team of all time... If he proves he's as good for Argentina and when Xavi retires, then and only then could he be called the greatest player ever

Not sure about that...

All the greats have had support and have played with other great players. Even from the two examples that you posted above still wouldnt mean that he's the best player of all time. Its very hard to draw such a conclusion for a number of reasons.

For instance Maradona played in a far better Argentina setup compared to the one that Messi finds himself in.

Can't agree with that at all. But all the same Messi is making a serious case for himself for the the greratest player ever.

miketyson
County: Limerick
Posts: 2441

1125156 Maradona also single handedly brought Napoli to an Italian title
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So he was the only fella on the team?

miketyson
County: Limerick
Posts: 2441

1125156 Maradona also single handedly brought Napoli to an Italian title

No he didn't there were several other top players at Napoli at the time. He was certainly the main factor but he didn't single-handedly win it.

That's a fair enough point Breff...

Still good enough to win a world cup though...

What? That argentina team was rubbish, they had 3 or 4 decent other players and none of them would get on for argentina today.
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Fair enough.. good enough to win a World Cup all the same...

. . . although Brendan Bradley must come into the reckoning.

TheMaster

You're spot on regarding Xavi... but sure this is a pointless debate to be honest.

It's impossible to name one player the best ever... there are always counter arguments and all sorts of variables to consider. Everybody has there favourites...

All I know is that he's a wonderful player... and the nature of his performance last night and on top of everything else the man has accomplished at the age of 24 isnt it!!!

Suggests that he at least deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as the former greats. I wouldnt go calling him the best ever though...

Still a young lad though and there are def questions marks... but how much is there left to accomplish... I guess a world Cup medal even then you'll have people saying the exact opposite.

Yeah that was Maradona's big achievement. If he, or anyone, won anything single-handedly it was the world cup in 86.

If Messi were to repeat that he would be the greatest ever without question, but it's unlikely to happen, not cos he couldn't but because he'll probably always have Tevez, Higuain, Aguero etc in the side too. Maradona didn't have team-mates of that calibre in 86 in my opinion.

Listen, sorry lads . . . I totally forgot about Alfie Hale.

The Master.....

In the words of Pep Guardiola

"He's the best ever, there is no other like him,'' "We'll never see a player like him again.'' "The only credit I can take is that I always put him in the team and we just try to make sure he gets the ball. After that our task is done. " "The throne belongs to him and only he will decide when he wants to relinquish it."

But you know best Im sure.

Id agree with that jinxy, it is very much down to the individual. I dont think he will ever have the ability of maradona, who was effectively messi and xavi rolled into one, but then some will disagree.

Derry_ledd
Jose mourinho says the same about ronaldo, what is your point?

Derry_ledd
County: Derry
Posts: 1849

1125263 The Master.....

In the words of Pep Guardiola

"He's the best ever, there is no other like him,'' "We'll never see a player like him again.'' "The only credit I can take is that I always put him in the team and we just try to make sure he gets the ball. After that our task is done. " "The throne belongs to him and only he will decide when he wants to relinquish it."

But you know best Im sure.

You're not allowed use that kind of logic/argument on here, you'll upset PP.

If he played for a certain English club he'd be the best !!

Oooops, they'll never forgive me down by de banks . . . I'll just say one word . . . WIGGI!

Cavan_Slasher
County: Cavan
Posts: 8972

1125310 If he played for a certain English club he'd be the best !!

Slasher you are coming across very childish on this thread.

Messi is unbeleivable, he is so much better than almost every other opponent on the field. I was always a huge fan of Zidane and I personally think he is the best player I've seen but Messi is a goal machine, his stats set him apart. He's scored 186 goals in his last 201 games. That's just stupid. Its very difficult to pick the greatest player of all time, there simply isn't enough footage of some of the great players, like Charlton, Best, Puskas, Pele, even Maradona. Every single game Messi plays in, every nonsense friendly and pre season game is televised. Picking a greatest player is like trying to pick the greatest song, movie or album. Which by the way are Song for the Dead by QOTSA, Die Hard, and Appetite for Destruction by GnR :)

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 3750

1125285 Id agree with that jinxy, it is very much down to the individual. I dont think he will ever have the ability of maradona, who was effectively messi and xavi rolled into one, but then some will disagree.

Derry_ledd
Jose mourinho says the same about ronaldo, what is your point?

Seriously, you need to ask?

Ronaldo is not part of this debate. Xavi is the one I believe you were hailing.

Aw now now Breff. Please please. The crowd that say that Messi is not the best have a club in common I believe !!

Tee hee !!

Im not talking about ronaldo DerryLedd, Im talking about what his manager says to get the best out of him, you see the relevence? Managers say a lot of things. Mourinho at chelsea said ronaldo was nothing special, but he is the best in the world now that he is at madrid, get it?
I tend to use the actual performances that I see in front of me, over throw-away comments by managers, to judge players, but everyone to his own.