Is Messi the Greatest Ever?

[redsforlife]

Zidane is not as good as Messi.  That's an easy one.  That's just a statement that tries to get people into a long argument.  Even Zidane doesn't think that.  Zidane controlled games but he could never change games as consistently as Messi.

Mourinho said Ronaldo is better than Messi?  Of course he would.  He's his manager.  No way in hell does he believe that.

I can agree that Mourinho is probably biased, but I think he genuinely thanks this. He might even if he wasn't manager. What about Ibrahimovic? Why does he think this? I think most would just expect Ibra to claim he's better, but he made it clear he thinks Ronaldo is better.

Zidane was better than Messi. Messi has never made his team better like Zidane did. Messi is just a far better goal scorer than Zidane. Different players with far different roles.

[Royal Freakiness]

Lol, redsforlife, Messi has more assists than most players too :P
Also, Ronaldo (the real ronaldo) claimed that Messi is the best player of all time. Who cares what Ibra thinks when big Ronaldo speaks?

[vittoleon]

Zidane controlled more to his team because that was his role. Messi isnt the one distributing passes all game. He is the one that gets the ball and 10 later puts it in the goal. Scoring goals is the most important thing in the game, and Messi is one of the best ever to do that.

[redsforlife]

Lol, redsforlife, Messi has more assists than most players too :P
Also, Ronaldo (the real ronaldo) claimed that Messi is the best player of all time. Who cares what Ibra thinks when big Ronaldo speaks?

Assists don't always mean superior play maker. Barca scores far more goals than any of Zidane's teams. One could say he had to  do more. Many players have said many players are the best player of all time. Some of you guys fail to realize my stance is more neutral than just favoring the popular opinion at the moment. 10yrs from now, the popular opinion will most likely be different.

[Adi]

What about Ibrahimovic? Why does he think this? I think most would just expect Ibra to claim he's better, but he made it clear he thinks Ronaldo is better.

Ibra has also proclaimed himself as the greatest player.  He thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread.  Let's not take his opinion too seriously.

[Adi]

10yrs from now, the popular opinion will most likely be different.

Yes, it will be 100% clear who the best footballer of all time is... Messi.

Messi dominates games far more than Zidane.  I agree that Zidane controlled games like few others could, but Messi is a different player, and 95% of manager would take Messi over Zidane.

[redsforlife]

Yes, it will be 100% clear who the best footballer of all time is... Messi.

Messi dominates games far more than Zidane.  I agree that Zidane controlled games like few others could, but Messi is a different player, and 95% of manager would take Messi over Zidane.

I actually doubt that. Messi is undoubtedly a great player, and he will be listed among the all time greats. I actually think many people will be talking about the new big name player. You do remember when people really mentioned Ronaldinho, Zidane, and Ronaldo as the best ever? This is normal. People like to think their favorite or the best of their time as the best ever. It will most likely be someone else in 10yrs that has the popular opinion.

I still disagree that 95% of managers would take Messi over Zidane. Zidane clearly makes his teammates better with his playmaking abilities. This is something just very few players can do. Messi isn't that type of player. He's clearly extremely effective, but that's not his role. Xavi and Iniesta have that role for Barca.

[Adi]

I still disagree that 95% of managers would take Messi over Zidane. Zidane clearly makes his teammates better with his playmaking abilities. This is something just very few players can do. Messi isn't that type of player. He's clearly extremely effective, but that's not his role. Xavi and Iniesta have that role for Barca.

Barca would be 3rd best in the world if Messi didn't play for them.

[redsforlife]

Barca would be 3rd best in the world if Messi didn't play for them.

Strongly disagree with that. In fact, I think they'd still win La Liga without him which is the strongest league in the world for me. Barca's style of play is one that doesn't rely on one individual near as much as many teams. They wouldn't be quite as free scoring, because Messi is the best finisher. They would still score very often, and they would win most of their games the same. Even if they dropped  to 3rd in the world, that's still pretty damn good.

A little off topic, but I'm gonna use basketball as an example. As a kid growing up, everyone told me Michael Jordan was the best player ever. For most of my youth, I 100% agreed with this. Now, there are people saying Lebron James is better, and he is the best ever. The clash of generations is the biggest separation in opinion. Now, I would say Jordan is still better than Lebron, but I wouldn't say either are clearly the best ever. If you look at the history of the NBA, player like Kareem Abdul Jabar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, etc. must be considered. Chamberlain for one was hands down the most  effective scorer in NBA history.

Back to football, it's really the same. The current generation is all about Messi at the moment. Part of it is just popularity, but there is a large part of him performing at a very high level. The thing is, when you look at history you see Pele, Muller, Maradona, etc. performing just as well or better at different points in their careers. Saying he is hands down the best is kind of crazy for me. He will be considered among the best ever, but picking him as that outright number 1 is madness.

[Royal Freakiness]

I've watched a lot of Maradona's highlights and many of the legendary matches he was in (recorded ones of course). I've also watched recorded matches of Zico, Cruyff, Best, Di Stefano, and Pele. I watched live matches of Ronaldo (brazil), Ronaldinho, Zidane, and other legends of the last generation. I thoroughly believed Maradona was the best player ever
Two years ago or more, I believed Messi was great but not at the level of the ones I mentioned. Now, Messi is Maradona, but refined and improved. That's why I believe he is the best ever.

[redsforlife]

I've watched a lot of Maradona's highlights and many of the legendary matches he was in. I thoroughly believed Maradona was the best player ever
Now, Messi is Maradona, but refined and improved. That's why I believe he is the best ever.

Messi and Maradona are completely different types of players. They are barely comparable. Messi is a 2nd striker, and Maradona was a midfield play maker. Someone asked me to compare the two, and this was the best I could come up with.

I think Maradona was still overall better, and not just because he won a WC. I find Maradona to be technically superior in every aspect of the game with the exception of striking the ball with his right foot. Messi is much better at that, but it didn't hold Maradona back much. In fact, it made him seem more magical as he mastered the rabona technique better than any player ever has. His rabona was as good as any players weak foot. Maradona was also much stronger and grittier in his play. He handled the physical play much better. Maradona was a better overall passer of the ball. Messi and Maradona had very different roles. Maradona was a genuine playmaker. Messi is more like a 2nd striker that looks to do quick combinations and 1v1s to create goals. Messi is also quicker and faster than Maradona. That is probably the biggest advantage Messi has over Maradona as an individual player.

Overall, I choose Maradona. His overall impact to the team is larger. Messi scores more goals, but Maradona did more period.

[Azwoh]

I agree that Messi must be the best player in the world. Passing, shooting, quick feet and of course epic ball control... except for his heading ability, he's surely the most efficient player i've ever seen. BUT here's a different story. I find it a bit boring to watch Messi (especially when you watch videos of all his goals), don't know exactly why, but it has something to do with the fact that everything works for him. If he begins his game with Barca, you just know those fluent plays and goals will come. I don't jump out of the sofa when he makes his next goal.
With them other players, and now a huge Madrid fan is speaking, it's a different thing. C. Ronaldo can have such a bad day that you start to pity him, but then out of nowhere he does some amazing thing that makes me think 'hell yeah, right back at ya.' And this is what i like about watching a game of football in general. Ronaldo El Fenomeno did moves in a high-level football game that I had never seen before and for Zidane, well he is a living legend. I don't think we will see someone with more grace than him on a pitch in the next decade at least. He had an effect on the team that made them all calm down and play in a way pfff, i only have a french word for it 'hautain', like we are in charge now. His great personality still makes me look up to him today and he did a way better job in interviews than Messi too if this counts for anything. Definitely check out youtube user 'beplasse' his uploads