Which footballer peaked the highest?

[harms]

Messi is double-triple marked all the time. He still manages to score 50+ goals in most seasons.

No. There’s a difference between real man-marking and zonal marking with focus on a most dangerous player. This tactic simply doesn’t work in a way that it worked in the 90’s and earlier because the rules (or, rather, their interpretation) had changed so much.

Today man-marking usually means individual (instead of zonal) pressing. You don’t get a player that follows another player everywhere including the dressing room for the entirety of the game. There are rare exceptions, like man-marking of Messi in the games against Mourinho’s Inter, but it happened very, very rarely.

 

[mshnsh]

I dont need to watch the highlights, I watched him live. He was scintillating in 1998, as evidenced by him winning the best player award by a clear margin. By all accounts he was better in 98 than he was in 2002 when he actually won it and was also top scorer by a mile.

I'm not interested in getting into a another Messi argument but no player has come close to what Maradona achieved in 1986, in a short tournament or otherwise.

Memories exaggerate things. I actually rewatched Brazil matches of the 1998 world Cup and I can safely say that the only really good match he played individually was vs Netherlands in the semi. He was decent in other games but hardly world beating. The hype was unreal going into the tournament and no other player has matched that.

Maradona 86 is the best by far in a cup competition. However, like someone said Messi is Maradona 86 every week particularly during his peak.

Of the others, Zidane's euro 2000 was pretty special.

If you talk goals only, than Van Basten in 1988, Platini in 1984, Ronaldo in 2002 were excellent.

In UCL, if you talk goals only, than Cristiano in 2017 is hard to ignore but interms of all round influence, Messi in 2011 and 2015 is the best I have seen by far.

 

[11101]

Memories exaggerate things. I actually rewatched Brazil matches of the 1998 world Cup and I can safely say that the only really good match he played individually was vs Netherlands in the semi. He was decent in other games but hardly world beating. The hype was unreal going into the tournament and no other player has matched that.

Maradona 86 is the best by far in a cup competition. However, like someone said Messi is Maradona 86 every week particularly during his peak.

Of the others, Zidane's euro 2000 was pretty special.

If you talk goals only, than Van Basten in 1988, Platini in 1984, Ronaldo in 2002 were excellent.

In UCL, if you talk goals only, than Cristiano in 2017 is hard to ignore but interms of all round influence, Messi in 2011 and 2015 is the best I have seen by far.

I think you need to rewatch those games again.

He was excellent vs Denmark in the quarters, setting up the first two goals, and he borderline embarrassed what was back then a very good Chile side in the last 16. It was only the final where it all went wrong, for reasons that had nothing to do with football.

You cannot compare players from that era to players now who play in teams totally set up around them. Both how they play and how teams defend against them.

 

[Spoony]

It's a non contact sport with perfect pitches and a game that suits attackers. Imagine these players playing in the Serie A in the 80s.

 

[Dave Smith]

Memories exaggerate things. I actually rewatched Brazil matches of the 1998 world Cup and I can safely say that the only really good match he played individually was vs Netherlands in the semi. He was decent in other games but hardly world beating. The hype was unreal going into the tournament and no other player has matched that.

Maradona 86 is the best by far in a cup competition. However, like someone said Messi is Maradona 86 every week particularly during his peak.

Of the others, Zidane's euro 2000 was pretty special.

If you talk goals only, than Van Basten in 1988, Platini in 1984, Ronaldo in 2002 were excellent.

In UCL, if you talk goals only, than Cristiano in 2017 is hard to ignore but interms of all round influence, Messi in 2011 and 2015 is the best I have seen by far.

Cannot really compare as whilst stylistically similar Maradonna had to contend with 1970/80's pitches and people going out and breaking his ankle then spraying their boot gold and mounting it once they did.

For me, Messi is the best player this generation however, Maradona may have had a higher peak for a season or two when you consider all factors.

 

[MattofManchester]

Has to be Messi. That season where he hit over 70 goals was unreal.

 

[lsd]

Schillaci 1990 world cup was an unknown proper to the tournament and pretty much the same story afterwards.

During it though he was unstoppable until he was stopped

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It's a non contact sport with perfect pitches and a game that suits attackers. Imagine these players playing in the Serie A in the 80s.

This has old man yells at cloud vibes. All-time greats would excel in any era. Based on the evidence of their 15 year careers Messi and Ronaldo have only grown not shirked when targeted by defenders for rough treatment. They'd do so and make defenders look silly in any era.

What argument can be made is that they wouldn't play in such super teams back then or wouldn't have the advantage of sports science and more protection and hence wouldn't have the machine like consistency and freedom from injuries and they have had.

 

[Devil81]

Got to be Davor Suker hasn't it, some of the names of the players being mentioned had insane careers and Davor had a good career but he's more well known for goals at Euro 96 and World cup 1998.

Everything he did in those tournaments was incredible with the stand out goal the lob against Schmeichel in 1996.

 

[Spoony]

This has old man yells at cloud vibes. All-time greats would excel in any era. Based on the evidence of their 15 year careers Messi and Ronaldo have only grown not shirked when targeted by defenders for rough treatment. They'd do so and make defenders look silly in any era.

What argument can be made is that they wouldn't play in such super teams back then or wouldn't have the advantage of sports science and more protection and hence wouldn't have the machine like consistency and freedom from injuries and they have had.

The Serie A was at its peak...the defences were brutal and goals were scarce. Maradona is the most fouled man in history he couldnt bend his knees due to the treatment he got. The likes of a Messi haven't received that type of treatment. That Aztec pitch in 86 was a quagmire, it was made up of patches, no one could play on it(Lineker) yet Maradona floated on that pitch. This is a non contact era, the pitches are immaculate, the best players play for super teams.

 

[Spoony]

As for excelling in any era, Cristiano probably would've.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

The Serie A was at its peak...the defences were brutal and goals were scarce. Maradona is the most fouled man in history he couldnt bend his knees due to the treatment he got. The likes of a Messi haven't received that type of treatment. That Aztec pitch in 86 was a quagmire, it was made up of patches, no one could play on it(Lineker) yet Maradona floated on that pitch. This is a non contact era, the pitches are immaculate, the best players play for super teams.

Not true for the likes of Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo etc It's just a weak argument that just because Maradona happened to play in a different era, he's better. Of course, the person you followed when you loved football the most tends to be the one you rate highest. Which is true for kids today. But timing of career being the reason is just irrational and weak, as far as reasoning go

 

[Lelouch geass]

Got to be Davor Suker hasn't it, some of the names of the players being mentioned had insane careers and Davor had a good career but he's more well known for goals at Euro 96 and World cup 1998.

Everything he did in those tournaments was incredible with the stand out goal the lob against Schmeichel in 1996.

Great shout. We had his name when young. I guess Croatia had beaten Holland. His name was even asked in G.K in my school.

 

[Lelouch geass]

G. Best - anytime - in terms of ability I'd say he had the highest skill ceiling
Ronaldo 99 - Perfect football player, nobody comes even close in my opinion, shame consistency wasn't there afterwards
C.Ronaldo in his last year for us and anytime during Madrid years - I'd say this was the best level of a player in the modern era in terms of pure ability to change a game and to me this is the most important, not scoring 600 goals a year or anything like that. When shit stinks, in my opinion, he's the only one that constantly turns up.

So my leaderboard would be:
Ronaldo - Perfect, no doubt
Best - highest potential but he still seemed to leave a lot on the table like going to the gym and not going for those extra 2-3 reps
C.Ronaldo - Nothing to say, as a complete package he's the best in the modern era, would fit any team, etc
Messi - In terms of pure numbers the 91 goals season easily wins, but numbers are not everything for me

Jamie Vardy 16 goal streak and Ruud best season. If its not tournament only.

 

[Spoony]

Not true for the likes of Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo etc It's just a weak argument that just because Maradona happened to play in a different era, he's better. Of course, the person you followed when you loved football the most tends to be the one you rate highest. Which is true for kids today. But timing of career being the reason is just irrational and weak, as far as reasoning go

This is so patronising. Zico was my favourite but I can only comment on what I've seen. And yeah the rules and conditions have changed to suit attacking play...just like cricket where the game has become a batman's paradise. Funnily enough Platini said he'd change things because of the
treatment of players like Platini himself.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Ronaldo received some mental treatment. Diego even more so.

True, it's a mystery Maradona even played as long as he did.

 

[Spoony]

True, it's a mystery Maradona even played as long as he did.

He ankles were shot in 90 yet Argentina were a whisker away from retaining the WC.

 

[Bogdannn]

Messi is 34 years old, playing for the weakest Barca team in more than a decade, and still scored 38 goals last season.

This "weakest" Barca as you call it is still far superior to all teams bar Real and Athletico.
It was a lot harder to score in the 90s than now

 

[Josh 76]

Schillaci 1990 world cup was an unknown proper to the tournament and pretty much the same story afterwards.

During it though he was unstoppable until he was stopped

Great shout

 

[Josh 76]

Andy Cole 41 goals for Newcastle

Frank McAvennie / Tony Cottee West Ham 1985-86