Messi - A new Maradona or the greatest ever
When the sporting world begins a sentence by saying, “he could be better than Maradona,” there better be a multitude of facts to substantiate such high praise.
Well, the stats on Lionel Messi are jaw-dropping! For the uninformed here’s a quick reminder. He is a 22 year old first team player for argentina, his won the champions league title twice and la liga several times. In 2009 he was awarded both the FIFA World player of the year and European player of the year awards. Messi has scored more than 100 goals for Barcelona. (Remember these are the stats of a 22 year old)
In this current 2009/10 season he has currently scored 40 goals for Barcelona in all competitions (there are still a good two hands full of games left before the season is done). The man is great, of that there can be no doubt or debate. To properly comprehend Messi’s goal scoring heroics this season we need to understand that in the greatest year of his legendary career, the superb Brazilian Ronaldo scored 47 goals in 49 games. Messi is just 8 goals away from overtaking that mark. The question is no longer if Messi will eclipse Ronaldo’s single season scoring record. Rather the question is when he will do it.
Claims of being the new Maradona? Goal scoring statistics that surpass the legendary Ronaldo (not Christiano). Is Lionel Messi laying claim to being the greatest footballer ever? The new Maradona???? Really...
Diego Maradona has reigned supreme atop the greatest ever throne since 1986. For 24 years, through the Figo’s, Romario’s, Klinsmann’s, Ronaldo’s and Zidane’s eras, his title has remained unchallenged. Maradona made his full international debut for Argentina at the age of 16 years old. The great Argentinian took an ordinary Argentina side to two World Cup finals in 1986 and 1990. At club level Maradona pushed little known Napoli to the Serie A crown. Napoli and Argentina have never achieved such lofty heights again.
Maradona infamously scored the “Hand of God” and “Feet of God” goals in one World Cup game against England at the 1986 World Cup. The feet of god goal is lesser known than the now notorious hand of god goal. Brief summary – Maradona received the ball at the centre line. He bears down on goal while beating Englishmen Glenn Hoddle, Peter Reid, Kenny Sansom, Terry Butcher and Terry Fenwick. When 1 vs 1 against the mythical goalkeeper Peter Shilton, Maradona rounds the keeper and slots the ball between the posts.
(I will never understand the great gripe that the English have over the whole hand of god goal incident. If Maradona really needed his hand to cheat so as to beat the English, then why minutes later would he decide to run from the centre line, beat 5-6 English players and score a goal without using his hand then? The English were simply not good enough to beat the Maradona’s Argentinians in 1986. Nobody was.)
So is the claim that Messi is the new Maradona justified? They are both Argentinian. Both are short and strong on the ball. Messi did score a hand of god type goal in 2007 vs Espanyol in La Liga. Messi also scored a feet of god type goal in 2007 vs Getafe in a Copa del Rey semi-final. Although these two goals seemed to conjure up a feverish comparison between Messi and Maradona, perhaps it is the context of the Messi goals that provides the greatest difference between the two Argentinians.
Maradona made his name in the international arena and scored both his feet of god and hand of god goals vs England in a World Cup game. Messi has made his name at club level for Barcelona. His comparative goals coming against Espanyol and Getafe respectively. (In fact, Messi has played terribly for Argentina. He is often booed off by Argentinian fans when he is substituted, and he was in that Argentinian side that lost 6-1 to Bolivia in 2009)
The question that hangs over Messi is whether he can be as good as Maradona on the international stage, or is he merely a great player that benefits from playing in a world class Barcelona side? The conclusion is straight forward. While we might marvel at Messi, his ability on the field and his amazing career stats at only the age of 22, there remains a cloud over his career. Or perhaps more appropriately there hangs a shadow over Lionel Messi. The long shadow stems from the feet of the great Diego Maradona.
The 2010 World Cup will provide Messi with a chance to step out of Maradona’s shadow, however, let us not forget that the 2010 Argentinian side will be coached by none other than Mr. D. Maradona. How does one step out of your coach’s shadow?
Well, the stats on Lionel Messi are jaw-dropping! For the uninformed here’s a quick reminder. He is a 22 year old first team player for argentina, his won the champions league title twice and la liga several times. In 2009 he was awarded both the FIFA World player of the year and European player of the year awards. Messi has scored more than 100 goals for Barcelona. (Remember these are the stats of a 22 year old)
In this current 2009/10 season he has currently scored 40 goals for Barcelona in all competitions (there are still a good two hands full of games left before the season is done). The man is great, of that there can be no doubt or debate. To properly comprehend Messi’s goal scoring heroics this season we need to understand that in the greatest year of his legendary career, the superb Brazilian Ronaldo scored 47 goals in 49 games. Messi is just 8 goals away from overtaking that mark. The question is no longer if Messi will eclipse Ronaldo’s single season scoring record. Rather the question is when he will do it.
Claims of being the new Maradona? Goal scoring statistics that surpass the legendary Ronaldo (not Christiano). Is Lionel Messi laying claim to being the greatest footballer ever? The new Maradona???? Really...
Diego Maradona has reigned supreme atop the greatest ever throne since 1986. For 24 years, through the Figo’s, Romario’s, Klinsmann’s, Ronaldo’s and Zidane’s eras, his title has remained unchallenged. Maradona made his full international debut for Argentina at the age of 16 years old. The great Argentinian took an ordinary Argentina side to two World Cup finals in 1986 and 1990. At club level Maradona pushed little known Napoli to the Serie A crown. Napoli and Argentina have never achieved such lofty heights again.
Maradona infamously scored the “Hand of God” and “Feet of God” goals in one World Cup game against England at the 1986 World Cup. The feet of god goal is lesser known than the now notorious hand of god goal. Brief summary – Maradona received the ball at the centre line. He bears down on goal while beating Englishmen Glenn Hoddle, Peter Reid, Kenny Sansom, Terry Butcher and Terry Fenwick. When 1 vs 1 against the mythical goalkeeper Peter Shilton, Maradona rounds the keeper and slots the ball between the posts.
(I will never understand the great gripe that the English have over the whole hand of god goal incident. If Maradona really needed his hand to cheat so as to beat the English, then why minutes later would he decide to run from the centre line, beat 5-6 English players and score a goal without using his hand then? The English were simply not good enough to beat the Maradona’s Argentinians in 1986. Nobody was.)
So is the claim that Messi is the new Maradona justified? They are both Argentinian. Both are short and strong on the ball. Messi did score a hand of god type goal in 2007 vs Espanyol in La Liga. Messi also scored a feet of god type goal in 2007 vs Getafe in a Copa del Rey semi-final. Although these two goals seemed to conjure up a feverish comparison between Messi and Maradona, perhaps it is the context of the Messi goals that provides the greatest difference between the two Argentinians.
Maradona made his name in the international arena and scored both his feet of god and hand of god goals vs England in a World Cup game. Messi has made his name at club level for Barcelona. His comparative goals coming against Espanyol and Getafe respectively. (In fact, Messi has played terribly for Argentina. He is often booed off by Argentinian fans when he is substituted, and he was in that Argentinian side that lost 6-1 to Bolivia in 2009)
The question that hangs over Messi is whether he can be as good as Maradona on the international stage, or is he merely a great player that benefits from playing in a world class Barcelona side? The conclusion is straight forward. While we might marvel at Messi, his ability on the field and his amazing career stats at only the age of 22, there remains a cloud over his career. Or perhaps more appropriately there hangs a shadow over Lionel Messi. The long shadow stems from the feet of the great Diego Maradona.
The 2010 World Cup will provide Messi with a chance to step out of Maradona’s shadow, however, let us not forget that the 2010 Argentinian side will be coached by none other than Mr. D. Maradona. How does one step out of your coach’s shadow?
There really can be no argument that L. Messi is a great player. But is he really the new Maradona? Is he the greatest of all time? Truth be told, if Messi is ever to be considered as the greatest, then he will have to shake off the tag as the new Maradona. He cannot be both.
The famous line that, “the real great ones remind us of no one else”, says it all. At the moment, Messi is reminding us of the great Maradona, and that is the one thing that stops him claiming the crown as the greatest.
really good article, at my office the debate between the Man U supporters and the rational thinkers is who is better C Ronaldo or Messi. THey say Ronaldo offers more. WHat do you think?
ReplyDeleteA soccer team needs to be able to attack and defend. Both players have the skills to attack, only one defends. So I'll take Messi over CR. Because he is a team player that does not think himself above defending.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the fact that CR has the ability to use both feet, has an arial presence and is faster than the 'little' Messi
ReplyDeleteMessi doesn't need a right foot, doesn't that say enough. CR is the most complete forward in world football but a team isn't made of forwards. Messi doesn't score headers, he is small, hardly ever takes free kicks, is not the principle penalty taker at Barca, yet his goal record this season and for Barca in his whole career is phenomenal.
ReplyDeleteWhat gets me about Messi is his magic, CR's style is dynamic, but not majestic, quick but not sophisticated. Messi doesn't do extravagant flicks and turns. Its smooth and sophisticated.
He is not as good as Maradonna yet, his attempts at the next two WC will define him whether he is better. But his definitely the best prospect since Ronaldo "The Phenom"
Question: If Messi wins the Champs this season (i.e. Barca retians the title, first time ever)and Argentina win one of the next 3 WC, will he be regarded as the best. Simply put, is it that enough?
ReplyDeleteMessi already hasn't won the Champs league. He was invisible. The hype has now died down and I am proud to say that I didn't subsrcibe to th Messi hype.
ReplyDelete