How good was Maradona?

[Gaylord du Bois]

Most players are cheats.

But nothing more.

 

[BongoBlue]

He inhabits a football universe that only he lives in. Everyone else is/was/will be light years behind him. The greatest ever. Bar none. Dragged Napoli to 2 scudetti, won the UEFA cup with them and topped the lot off with the '86 World Cup. All whilst being completely off his napper and banging anything and everything in sight. The banner at Napoli cemetery the day after they won their 1st ever title, "you don't know what you've missed".

Agreed. He did it with what was an "unfashionable" club at the time too in Napoli. And his displays at the 86 WC were just from another dimension. And if he hadn't been caught in '94, that Argentinian team would have won that one as well. I had the privilege of seeing his last game vs Greece in Foxboro. Scored a cracker and then was (rightfully) caught. A transcendent footballer; a mess of a person.

And I am a big Messi fan who is clearly the best around today. And I was also a fan of Pele. But Pele never left the safety blanket of Brazil - at least until he was well past it. Neither of them however had the stones of Diego - maybe those stones developed as a result of the old Colombian marching powder but nevertheless, he had 'em in spades. He was the best.

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

sorry pal he was great but messi is the dogs bollocks

Agreed but Maradona won games on his own. Big games on his own. The biggest game on his own.
Messi's close but no cigar.

 

[MCFC_ Phil]

Agreed but Maradona won games on his own. Big games on his own. The biggest game on his own.
Messi's close but no cigar.

Indeed. Messi cannot be compared to Mardonna totally different people, different times. Skills equal, as men, no comparison Messi never tested. Maradonna had it all

 

[jma]

Agreed but Maradona won games on his own. Big games on his own. The biggest game on his own.
Messi's close but no cigar.

That's just lazy.

Whilst there is no real way to judge that anyone has won any game on their own, if you take the definition of the player being the best player on the pitch and being responsible for the defining act of the match, Messi has done it many more times. In big games too. It isn't even close.

Messi has had over a decade doing just that. Maradona far, far less.

Messi has played in hundreds more 'big games' and been the deciding factor in a stupid amount.

I'm not for denigrating him. He was a player that is almost without equal. But your statement is just plain wrong. You may have a point if you limit it only to world cups.

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

That's just lazy.

Whilst there is no real way to judge that anyone has won any game on their own, if you take the definition of the player being the best player on the pitch and being responsible for the defining act of the match, Messi has done it many more times. In big games too. It isn't even close.

Messi has had over a decade doing just that. Maradona far, far less.

I'm not for denigrating him. He was a player that is almost without equal. But your statement is just plain wrong. You may have a point if you limit it only to world cups.

I stand by my post. No offence intended.

 

[moggymoz]

Maradona was the greatest player to ever grace the beautiful game, full stop .

 

[RadcliffeRick]

https://starecat.com/content/wp-con...ocaine-bag-on-football-match-photoshopped.jpg

 

[goatersnipple]

Maradona was the greatest player to ever grace the beautiful game, full stop .

Agree.
Messi is amazing and easily the best around now.
But Maradona won the world cup.
Almost on his own.
That in its self makes him the greatest ever

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I have never watched him live since he played before my time but I want to now for fellow bluemooners who have seen him play. Was he as good as Messi is now?
I have watched youtube highlights and frankly I think Messi is better imo. The defenders looked awful in the highlights.
Thoughts?

Did they just look awful, or were they made to look awful. I remember Cruyff and his little twiddly turn against, I think, the Bulgarian full back, and thought, Kinell, how's that defender get into a football team, and Cruyff was by then doing all sorts of magic with the ball. Yer can look at a player, take KDB, and we come to expect one of those passes behind the back line to a forward on the extreme left or right to have just a tap in. Players like Maradonna and Cruyff shone like beacons but they tend to be elbowed out by the next generation, and we always seem to have the notion that the current crop is the best that has ever been.