The fact people wrongly claim Messi is better than him shows how good he was .
Messi has made a great team better , Maradona has made poor teams champions
Messi has made a great team better , Maradona has made poor teams champions
Maradona appreciation thread | Rest in peace, golden boy.
- Thread starter Green_Red
- Start date
Not suprised he got hooked on drugs, id say looking at the tackles he had to take im sure he was constantly on painkillers, even Dejan Lovren came out this week saying he needed 5 painkillers before games, imagine how many Maradona was on.
I remember watching him in copa america and lobbing the keeper from half way line, the things he could do and imagination he showed, to me he was the best.
I remember watching him in copa america and lobbing the keeper from half way line, the things he could do and imagination he showed, to me he was the best.
Cristiano is not a better talent, he is not even close tbf.
But I agree Cristiano has done much more than Ronaldo in club level. And if someone ranks Cr7 above R9 on this basis, I respect that, but if someone says CR7 is a much better player than R9 , than they are seriously overrating Cristiano.
On the basis of just talent, Maradona and Messiah are quite same, but as I said earlier when comparison with Zico, Maradona has that mean streak which is generally not found in many players.
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Maradona was something else.
There are a few who's comparable from my lifetime. Mohammad Ali. Michael Jordan. Maybe Usain Bolt. It isn't enough to be a generation talent, you need more. Larger then life charisma and mystique. The phrase "best ever" should come naturally without even a moment of hesitation. Winning everything you can win is a must. No excuses.
With the ball to his feet then Messi is probably a better dribbler. If you only count goals then CR7 have a better goal/game ratio. R9 was before injury a physical beast who was both faster and stronger. Pelé was playing in another era, not the same media cover, television was in his young days black and white. Edison was unique is his own way but football was a different game at that time. Its like comparing Rod Laver to Roger Federer, wooden hand craft to graphite material.
For me who's old enough to be around when JFK was a president then Maradona is the best football player ever. I just can't come around that "being the best" must be more then just kicking a football . Its a team game. Natural leadership must be part of the judgement. The same must be said regarding aura and charisma. The best ever should always shine like a diamond on a beach full of sand. Without it all your memories just fade away and when the next talanted guy comes around you start to forget. There where a few who stays like a tattoo in my mind.
Mohammad Ali was the greatest. Michael Jordan always delivered and Maradona was something else. Thats just how it is.
There are a few who's comparable from my lifetime. Mohammad Ali. Michael Jordan. Maybe Usain Bolt. It isn't enough to be a generation talent, you need more. Larger then life charisma and mystique. The phrase "best ever" should come naturally without even a moment of hesitation. Winning everything you can win is a must. No excuses.
With the ball to his feet then Messi is probably a better dribbler. If you only count goals then CR7 have a better goal/game ratio. R9 was before injury a physical beast who was both faster and stronger. Pelé was playing in another era, not the same media cover, television was in his young days black and white. Edison was unique is his own way but football was a different game at that time. Its like comparing Rod Laver to Roger Federer, wooden hand craft to graphite material.
For me who's old enough to be around when JFK was a president then Maradona is the best football player ever. I just can't come around that "being the best" must be more then just kicking a football . Its a team game. Natural leadership must be part of the judgement. The same must be said regarding aura and charisma. The best ever should always shine like a diamond on a beach full of sand. Without it all your memories just fade away and when the next talanted guy comes around you start to forget. There where a few who stays like a tattoo in my mind.
Mohammad Ali was the greatest. Michael Jordan always delivered and Maradona was something else. Thats just how it is.
Even from your description, if you argue for R9 to be the better player you have to come up with some romantic reasoning of "better player" and all. It's not just the trophies but look at their respective goal scoring record. CR7 is a better goal scorer than R9 who was a striker.
Once loved him, but can't abide the Maradona character.
Pele has done and does more for football than Diego ever has or will.
Pele gives, Maradona takes.
Pele has done and does more for football than Diego ever has or will.
Pele gives, Maradona takes.
@Green_Red you made my evening with those two opening videos. No idea how I haven't seen those before. The skill are just insane and I can understand the argument over who's the GOAT a bit more. All I remember of him sadly is USA Italia '90 and but more USA '94 as I was in the states at the time and was still in my early teens. No doubt the skill and leadership though for sure
One of mine too. He makes it look SO easy.... "I'm bored.... what I can I do next with a football?"
Absolutely love that video.
Best player I have ever seen, and probably ever will see. His blend of skill, technique and vision, combined with his sheer determination and leadership of men, will probably never be matched. What he did with Argentina in 86 and 90 combined with how he brought the Scudetto to Napoli when the Serie A was king is unparalleled.
Not close to Messi
Irrelevant. You can't hold it against Messi because he's played for one (great) team his entire career.
Beautiful post sums it well.
Best ever bar none.
Should have gotten better haircuts.
Should have gotten better haircuts.
A tiny bit off topic but I have this thing where I don't rate Best, Maradona, Ronaldinho and their equivalents. These players were football, they were too special to be simply ranked, we are just supposed to enjoy their legacy and not mix them with regular players.
You wonder if we'll ever see a footballer like him again. Messi is up there in ability but football has lost something along the way. So guys like Messi just lack that character Maradona or Best had.
He was under tremendous pressure in WC 86 and WC 90. All the world attention is on Maradona. Other teams don't have to worry about other Argentina players and to stop Argentina they put 4-6 players marking Maradona tightly. Despite all these, Maradona carried the team to glory with one of the best performance you will ever see individually in WC.
Shit I was at that game in AlvaladeMy favourite player ever. Saw him live at the old Alvalade with Napoli against Sporting.
I saw Messi live as well a week ago, so i can proudly say that i saw live the two best players in Argentine football history. Maradona still remains my favourite.
I'd agree with that. Best, Maradona and Ronaldinho were like comets, they blazed a trail were no other footballers could come close. Just magical with a ball at their feet.
I love that video of Maradona kissing Ronaldinho's hand in admiration.
For me Ronaldinho is a name that doesn't come up enough in the GOAT debate, he did things Messi and CR7 could only dream about doing.
It's not all about goals scored.
Best there ever was...
Ronaldo was faster and double footed. They played different positions so different attributes were needed. For example, Ronaldo's positioning and movement were first rate, but that was for a forward and not a attacking midfielder. Same as Maradona's passing, why would a forward need to be able to do that sort of stuff. All these players that define generations have something that they have over another player that did the same, hence they are good enough to define generations.
If I could choose one player to watch live throughout football history it would be this guy. Despite his antics in 86 I still think he would have to be my favourite player of all time, simply on another level. Can only imagine what peak Diego would be worth in today's market. Talk about Ronaldo & Messi all you like, neither could do what this man could.
Have you seen the state of the defenses in that compilation video?
Greatest of all time.
His greatest ability - He wont let players get close to him to get the ball away.If they try he is gone past them.
He also represents something larger than just football. Nationalism..leftist politics..winning "war" with england..standing for the underprivileged..the utmost winner..( individually where you can only win as a team)..inspiration..
He also represents something larger than just football. Nationalism..leftist politics..winning "war" with england..standing for the underprivileged..the utmost winner..( individually where you can only win as a team)..inspiration..
Argentina may not qualify to the Wold Cup with Messi as captain. Diego made a only half decent Argentina side World Champions. Maradona made a less than half decent Napoli side Champions back when Italy was the place to be in world football. Different class, in my book anyway.
He turned 60 today
Sometimes the ball felt like his third testicle
When did he let you feel his testicles?
Haha good point, let me rephrase that.
It felt like he sometimes handled the ball like it was his third testicle
Wasn't Platini seen as the better player going into the 1986 World Cup? Then Maradona cheated his was to the WC and everyone only looks back at the WC win to judge who was better. Even though it was before most of us were born and the ones who were alive were quite young.
Sorry but Messi, Cristiano, and R9 also all did stuff that Ronaldinho could only dream about doing. Ronaldinho isn't even the best Brazilian of his generation never mind talking about being the GOAT.
He took average teams like Napoli and Argentina to something beyond what they were. GOAT in my mind
Pedantry aside, you're absolutely right. I don't think I've ever seen a more naturally gifted player. He had a Keane-like ability to inspire his team, combined with a Messi-like ability to outfox any defender. Best footballer ever.
Argentina in the knockout rounds only played Uruguay, England and Belgium until the final.
It is also a myth that Argentina and Napoli were average teams except for Maradona.
Napoli only won the title in 2 of the 7 years that Maradona played for them aswell, and only had a combined goals and assists record of more than 20 in 2 of his 9 seasons in Europe. Them kind of stats don't warrant him being the best player of all time.
That England team was expected to do well and the Belgium team from 86 has only just been surpassed in technical ability by the current Belgium team.
I think the changing of the guard was already well underway in Italy by '86. At that point, Napoli and Maradona were already emerging as the dominant force and Platini retired in '87 having only been on the winning side in 1 of the 6 games between the 2.
Maradona the documentary is well worth a watch. Great insight into his career and off field antics.
As a football enthusiast, you have to enjoy watching a player like him. Sad to see how so many modern fans on the internet (especially Messi supporters) feel the need to downplay his ability and achievements all the time.