Topic: Lionel Messi

[didi]

Zidane may not be the greatest but he is really close to  Maradona,Pele,Messi and Cruyff imo.The only thing that you could 'blame' him is he didn't score a lot but when he did it was usually a thing of beauty.When it comes to sheer technique,there was nothing,absolutely nothing,that he should be jealous of the others.He was as good.

exactly his technique was 2nd to no one

[doc_antonio]

Zindane this, Maradona that, Pele the other... and then Messi...

Thats all well and good but you guys are forgetting the greatest player of all time..



never seen a player with more raw strength, blistering runs, ariel presence, and an all round machine than Sir Emile Heskey.

[SMASHerano]

Zindane this, Maradona that, Pele the other... and then Messi...

Thats all well and good but you guys are forgetting the greatest player of all time..



never seen a player with more raw strength, blistering runs, ariel presence, and an all round machine than Sir Emile Heskey.

I thought I was the only one.

[Cid]

I have to wonder how good Maradona (or indeed Ronaldo) would have been had they been fed a steady diet of HGH in their youth.

[west_london_red]

Zidane may not be the greatest but he is really close to  Maradona,Pele,Messi and Cruyff imo.The only thing that you could 'blame' him is he didn't score a lot but when he did it was usually a thing of beauty.When it comes to sheer technique,there was nothing,absolutely nothing,that he should be jealous of the others.He was as good.

Also, when people talk about single handedly winning a world everyones talks about Maradona in 1986, but Zidane did pretty much that in 1998.

[J_Kopite]

Also, when people talk about single handedly winning a world everyones talks about Maradona in 1986, but Zidane did pretty much that in 1998.

He didn't really though, he was sent off and didn't actually do much until the final. Euro 2000 was his best tournament.

[SMASHerano]

Also, when people talk about single handedly winning a world everyones talks about Maradona in 1986, but Zidane did pretty much that in 1998.

erm.. What?

1998, when he got sent off against Saudi Arabia and missed 2 matches? when Blanc scored that golden goal against Paraguay? when Thuram single-handedly scored a brace against Croatia?

People seem to forget that in 1998, that France team won because of their defence, they had the strongest back 4 in the world. Zidane didn't have a good game except against Brazil in the final.

[scatman]

nah to me there was no one better for vision and aware of what was going on around him then Zidane....he was an artist, beautiful to watch.....Maradonna for sheer balance and skill was the greatest

Zidane didnt even have the best vision or awareness at Madrid, that was Guti.

Also, when people talk about single handedly winning a world everyones talks about Maradona in 1986, but Zidane did pretty much that in 1998.

Zidane missed 3 matches in 1998. There would have be no 2 goals in the final if it wasnt for a certain Lilian Thuram supershow against Croatia. 1998 was no way a one man team, in fact that was one of the most team orientated world cup victories you could get. From Blanc to Desaily to Lizarazu to Deschamps to Petit, Djorkaeff.


A few pages back someone described Messi's dribbling ability, and how he takes so many subtle touches whilst running at pace, it really is a sight to behold, one particular game that shows it well is a hat trick he scored against Valencia a season or 2 back when Zlatan was around, he nutmegs players by virtually touching the ball a cm to the left/right, if someone can post a video of it you'll see. He did the same against Zaragoza that season too.

[didi]

Zidane didnt even have the best vision or awareness at Madrid, that was Guti.

 

wtf

[KERRYKOP]

Also, when people talk about single handedly winning a world everyones talks about Maradona in 1986, but Zidane did pretty much that in 1998.

Even more so in getting France to the final in 06. Had his header on Buffon been a foot either side minutes before the headbutt it could of all been so different.

[La Vecchia Magpie]

The Zidane/1998 thing has got to be football's biggest myth

[Stevie93]

wtf

He's right.

[didi]

He's right.

he's no where near right

[Il Capitano]

Zidane may not be the greatest but he is really close to  Maradona,Pele,Messi and Cruyff imo.

None of them played in the best league in the world, though. 

[Adeemo]

he's no where near right

He's completely right, doesn't mean he's saying Guti is/was fit to lace Zidane's boots.

[Yiannis]

Zidane didnt even have the best vision or awareness at Madrid, that was Guti.

[Stevie93]

He's completely right, doesn't mean he's saying Guti is/was fit to lace Zidane's boots.

Exactly.

[KERRYKOP]

The Zidane/1998 thing has got to be football's biggest myth

I agree France 98/00 were one the greatest ever international sides, 06 was the Zidane show.

[Yiannis]

00 also.People tend to forget how unbelievably majestic was at that Euro.Portugal game anyone?

[scatman]

he's no where near right

I didnt say Guti was as good as Zizou, but I'm sure if you asked Zizou himself he would say Guti was the best at those aspects.
Guti could have ran around blindfolded and he would still find teammates and play sumptious through balls.

[Spanish Fan]

I have to wonder how good Maradona (or indeed Ronaldo) would have been had they been fed a steady diet of HGH in their youth.

You think Maradona or Ronaldo never took PEDs? Maradona even confessed so, and there are strong rumours that Ronaldo injuries were due to steroids.

[didi]

He's completely right, doesn't mean he's saying Guti is/was fit to lace Zidane's boots.

no team Zidane played in was there any player with better vision or awareness and thats a fact

[Stevie93]

no team Zidane played in was there any player with better vision or awareness and thats a fact

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmNka6ud68

[scatman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmNka6ud68

cant see that video, is it Real Madrid's top 10 assists of all time? with Guti providing every single one?

[LFCsupporter]

The thing with Messi is, he's not an entertainer, he's an athlete, he wants to continually be the best and focuses on that.

Ronaldinho knew how good he was, and focused on entertaining the crowd IMO. It's why I think Ronaldinho in his prime was more exciting.

I think its impossible to express it in words. Messi is a fantastic player, probably the best there was, but I can see where the 'boring' thing is coming from. After watching Messi, he does become a tad predictable. That's not a slight on him in any way, he is superb, but the insanely-difficult flicks and passes, dribbles and shots he pulls off seem to be his trademark moves. I can't really explain it. When Messi is on the pitch, you know what to expect, in some way. When Ronaldinho was on the pitch, nobody had a clue what was going to happen. I think that when Messi pulls off something fantastic, somewhere inside him he knows what he is doing and how he is doing it. I think Ronaldinho never knew himself what he was going to pull off next, it just came to him spontaneously.

[Stevie93]

cant see that video, is it Real Madrid's top 10 assists of all time? with Guti providing every single one?

Of course 

[Canada Loves Anfield]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmNka6ud68

Oh that was a pleasure. Cheers

[underscored]

Great Guti video 2:35 = amazing.

[Rotation]

I have to wonder how good Maradona (or indeed Ronaldo) would have been had they been fed a steady diet of HGH in their youth.

You clearly have no idea how growth hormone therapy works. Either that or you are being facetious. Hopefully the latter.

[Juan Loco]

The Zidane/1998 thing has got to be football's biggest myth

Word. ... And truth on the Del Piero > Zidane at Juventus bit as well.

I'd have Xavi and certainly Iniesta over Zidane myself.

[LF]

Word. ... And truth on the Del Piero > Zidane at Juventus bit as well.

I'd have Xavi and certainly Iniesta over Zidane myself.

must....not....bite...

[Stevie93]

must....not....bite...

What's wrong with what he said? They are the two greatest Spanish footballers of all time, have won everything everything there is to win in football, both of them being the driving force behind every one of those victories. The only thing Zidane had over either of them, is grace and artistry on the ball, which is a subjective trait anyway.

[Juan Loco]

must....not....bite...

BillyTK will be along to do it for you shortly anyways

[La Vecchia Magpie]

must....not....bite...

If you're reffering to the Juve thing, they went from champions in 1998, to 6th place in 1999. Del Piero got injured about 5 games into the 1998/99 season, and missed, I think, all of it.

[Gerrvindh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmNka6ud68

4:55 on that video I jizzed.

[LF]

If you're reffering to the Juve thing, they went from champions in 1998, to 6th place in 1999. Del Piero got injured about 5 games into the 1998/99 season, and missed, I think, all of it.

In 1999 "Juventus" lost not only Ferrara, who was loaned to recreate into "Salernitana", but also DelPiero, and then Inzaghi for some time, and had to play without leading forwards, whom Amoruso and Fonseca just were not able to replace. Then Zidane was severely injured and he played only on his will, being conscious that the team would live hard days if lost also him, and he went to operation only when all was lost to Juve.

http://www.juvesez.narod.ru/SeasonsE/season99e.htm

 

[LF]

What's wrong with what he said? They are the two greatest Spanish footballers of all time, have won everything everything there is to win in football, both of them being the driving force behind every one of those victories. The only thing Zidane had over either of them, is grace and artistry on the ball, which is a subjective trait anyway.

What's wrong with what I said? Zidane is the greatest French footballer of all time, has won everything there is to win in football, being the driving force behind every one of those victories. The only thing Xavi and Iniesta had over him, is err ummm.....

[LF]

BillyTK will be along to do it for you shortly anyways

 

[Endoe]

I think its impossible to express it in words. Messi is a fantastic player, probably the best there was, but I can see where the 'boring' thing is coming from. After watching Messi, he does become a tad predictable. That's not a slight on him in any way, he is superb, but the insanely-difficult flicks and passes, dribbles and shots he pulls off seem to be his trademark moves. I can't really explain it. When Messi is on the pitch, you know what to expect, in some way. When Ronaldinho was on the pitch, nobody had a clue what was going to happen. I think that when Messi pulls off something fantastic, somewhere inside him he knows what he is doing and how he is doing it. I think Ronaldinho never knew himself what he was going to pull off next, it just came to him spontaneously.

Yeah agree with this myself.Messi is like a surgeon and of course theres beauty in the precision, of both his technique and physical prowess as he clicks onto that left foot and slices past the best defenders in the world like they're second class and running in molasses, wheres Ronaldinho, would use amazing skill and trickery to get past those same defender, like a card shark, betting he can fool you, knowing he's got the better of the same defenders, laying the cards as plain as day  in front of them,  then react, falling right into his elaborate trap,  gliding past, leaving them flat footed and embarrassed.He did things that you just not supposed to be able to do at such a high level of competition. Both ways are incredible, but for me the greater entertainer is Ronaldinho.

[doc_antonio]

FYI, for anyone looking for each of their honours.

Zindane

Girondins Bordeaux UEFA Intertoto Cup: Winner: 1995

Juventus Serie A: Winner: 1996–97, 1997–98, Supercoppa Italiana: Winner: 1997, UEFA Super Cup: Winner: 1996, Intercontinental Cup: Winner: 1996, UEFA Intertoto Cup: Winner: 1999

Real Madrid La Liga: Winner: 2002–03, Supercopa de España: Winner: 2001, 2003, UEFA Champions League: Winner: 2001–02, UEFA Super Cup: Winner: 2002, Intercontinental Cup: Winner: 2002

France FIFA World Cup: Winner: 1998, UEFA European Football Championship: Winner: 2000

and has the Ballon D'or – 1998


Xavi

Barcelona La Liga (6): 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, Copa del Rey (1): 2008–09; Runner-up 2010–11, Supercopa de España (5): 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011,  UEFA Champions League (3): 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11,  UEFA Super Cup (2): 2009, 2011; FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011;
 
Spain FIFA World Cup: 2010, UEFA European Football Championship: 2008, FIFA World Youth Championship: 1999


Iniesta

Barcelona  La Liga (5): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, Copa del Rey (1): 2008–09, Supercopa de España (5): 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, UEFA Champions League (3): 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, UEFA Super Cup (2): 2009, 2011, FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011

Spain FIFA World Cup: 2010, UEFA European Football Championship: 2008, UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship: 2002, UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship: 2001


Messi

Barcelona La Liga (5): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, Copa del Rey (1): 2008–09, Supercopa de España (5): 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, UEFA Champions League (3): 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, UEFA Super Cup (2): 2009, 2011, FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011

Argentina FIFA U-20 World Cup (1): 2005, Olympic Gold Medal (1): 2008

Personal FIFA Ballon d'Or: 2010, 2011, Ballon d'Or: 2009, FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009