Is Messi Now Officially the Greatest Footballer in History?

Is Messi the greatest player in football history?

  • Yes

  • No

Results are only viewable after voting.
mexico1970 said:
IMHO he's the best of the era you can remember, and can rightly take his place in the top 3 of himself, real Ronaldo and of course Johan Cruyff.
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Ronaldo's injuries prevent him from being regarded as the greatest ever. I watched his documentary on BBC the other day and it reminded me just how exceptional he was. Speed, trickery, power - everything. His injuries were horrific, particularly his knee going again on his return. They show the footage and he's just balling his eyes out and everyone is in complete shock and despair for him. How he recovered from that to play again I do not know. He was told by surgeon's in America they could heal the injury but he wouldn't kick a ball again, so he went back to his French surgeon and somehow managed to get back on the pitch and take Brazil to World Cup glory. A truly remarkable player. He quite probably would have scored at a ratio similar to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo if he'd have stayed injury free. His record was still exceptional despite that.

It's almost impossible to judge players from different eras. You can suggest things are easier in terms of pitch quality and sports science/tackling now but you could say the professionalism now makes it much harder to stay at the top of your game because there are so many games and tactics have evolved and the general level of top players is much better. The Brazil goal against Italy in the WC final for example - that Italy side had been in a war with West Germany three days before and were dead on their feet. They didn't and couldn't get close to the ball. It was horrific defending as much as brilliant play from Brazil.

Messi's record is just staggering. Beyond anything we've ever seen. Was it harder to score goals in times gone by? I don't think so. Dixie Dean had a pretty stunning ratio! I think, on that basis I'd have to say Messi is the best ever.
 
The world cup is the biggest tournament in football, its the most watched and the trophy most players dream about. I'm not fussed on international football but the world cup is the most prestigious trophy. I just dont think you can put Messi above Pele at all.

Messi may have the records goals etc but Pele won the biggest trophy in football 3 times thats a outrageous achievement he also does have incredible individual records as well. I wasnt alive to see him play as i was born much later. but even watching clips and reading about him, he did things that no other players were doing, the skill moves we see today he did them first.
 
Gumzy97 said:
The world cup is the biggest tournament in football, its the most watched and the trophy most players dream about. I'm not fussed on international football but the world cup is the most prestigious trophy. I just dont think you can put Messi above Pele at all.

Messi may have the records goals etc but Pele won the biggest trophy in football 3 times thats a outrageous achievement he also does have incredible individual records as well. I wasnt alive to see him play as i was born much later. but even watching clips and reading about him, he did things that no other players were doing, the skill moves we see today he did them first.
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The Champions League is the biggest tournament in club football. It’s the most watched and the trophy most players dream about. On that logic I don’t think you can put KDB or David Silva above Darren Fletcher at all.
 
according to some annoying logic out there

if Haaland doesn't win the WC with Norway then he can't be considered a great striker.
 
The thing I’d say to those dismissing Pele as he only played in a “school boy” or “farmers “ league, is that doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny.

In those days very few players moved abroad. Every single player in the Brazil squads that won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 played for Brazilian clubs. That suggests it was one if not the best League around at the time.

It’s not as if Santos were a South American version of a modern day Bayern Munich or PSG either. They did win five titles on the spin early in Pelé’s career. But after that they only won one more title during his 18 years at the club.

None of us really knows. But the evidence suggests that the Brazilian League before the mass exodus of their best players to Europe began, was right up there amongst the best leagues in the world.
 
Stephen230 said:
The thing I’d say to those dismissing Pele as he only played in a “school boy” or “farmers “ league, is that doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny.

In those days very few players moved abroad. Every single player in the Brazil squads that won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 played for Brazilian clubs. That suggests it was one if not the best League around at the time.

It’s not as if Santos were a South American version of a modern day Bayern Munich or PSG either. They did win five titles on the spin early in Pelé’s career. But after that they only won one more title during his 18 years at the club.

None of us really knows. But the evidence suggests that the Brazilian League before the mass exodus of their best players to Europe began, was right up there amongst the best leagues in the world.
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It's dead easy, you can't compare eras when talking about sports or indeed music.
 
daztrueblue91 said:
The Champions League is the biggest tournament in club football. It’s the most watched and the trophy most players dream about. On that logic I don’t think you can put KDB or David Silva above Darren Fletcher at all.
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Spot on mate. Good point well made. Both players were phenomenal but Messi has done it in Europe where it's more competitive and now the world. There is no one better, the next best was Maradona.
 
Gumzy97 said:
The world cup is the biggest tournament in football, its the most watched and the trophy most players dream about. I'm not fussed on international football but the world cup is the most prestigious trophy. I just dont think you can put Messi above Pele at all.

Messi may have the records goals etc but Pele won the biggest trophy in football 3 times thats an outrageous achievement he also does have incredible individual records as well. I wasnt alive to see him play as i was born much later. but even watching clips and reading about him, he did things that no other players were doing, the skill moves we see today he did them first.
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What a player has won should not be a defining factor about how good he was.

Kun Agüero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva never won the Champions League, never even played in a final, yet Jordan Henderson has lifted the trophy and played in three finals overall.

International football should also not be the barometer a player is considered on. Yes, the World Cup is the biggest stage in terms of prestige. But it isn’t in terms of quality. That Senegal team England faced in the Ro16 had a front three that played in the Championship, you don’t get that in the Ro16 of the Champions League. Not one of Argentina’s midfield would get in City’s team, that Acuña who played a part across the tournament (not a very good one, mind) wouldn’t even get in City’s third XI, yet they won the World Cup.

Also didn’t Pele himself say that Garrincha was doing all those skills before he was?

 
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