Is Messi Now Officially the Greatest Footballer in History?

[edinburgh123]

Now that he has finally won a World Cup, on the back off all he has achieved at club level, is Lionel Messi now officially the best player in football history?

Does that mean if he had been born in the Cook Islands and had been literally the same person with the same club career he wouldn’t be the best? Don’t see how winning the World Cup defines him on the basis it depends on geographical pot luck. (And anyway, he is no Buster Phillips)

 

[kunavellaneda]

I insist, there is a consensus in Argentina about Messi's GOAT status. Maradona fans are found among people over 45 years of age and of low social class.
Probably Maradona in his prime (the 7 games in Mexico 86) has been the best player seen on earth, but the truth is that Messi's consistency, being the best for more than 15 years, is something unprecedented worldwide.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

It's an interesting accolade, and very much highlighted by the post above. All of those in contention are either attackers, or attacking midfielders. Defenders and goalkeepers just don't stir the senses in the same way.

As to the question, my opinion is very much split, and like many (most?) it's a choice between Messi and Maradona. Best player of all time? Messi edges it for me. Which player at his peak would I have chosen to play for City? Maradona, absolutely no question.

Midfielders and forwards are footballers, defenders and keepers are there to stop the footballers from playing their game and scoring.

 

[Gingers Dad]

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?

That is brilliant thanks for posting. I've never seen that much footage of Garrincha. Although he must have an exceptional talent most of his skills seem so basic now. Sixty or seventy years ago that must have been spell binding stuff.
Go back even further and watch Matthews or Finney it looks like they are dribbling in a straight line and defenders are flying about all over the place. Players from different eras really can't be compared.

 

[Gingers Dad]

The behaviour of Messi and Ronaldo during this world cup has settled the debate for me.
Ronaldo's childlike selfishness was evident in spades. Walking out alone after his teamates had been on the pitch for a while, personal 'tape man' and minders and fucking straight off when beat instead of helping the younger teammates cope with defeat.
Is Messi the 'best of all time''? Well that's up for further debate but he's certainly won the Ronaldo/Messi contest.

I thought that particular debate was settled at the 2009 Champions league final when Messi scored the winner and played like the true team player. Ronaldo was shooting on site regardless and ended up getting owned by Puyol.

 

[Gingers Dad]

I'm a bit to young to have witnessed Pele, what I have seen on TV he was outstanding, but he didn't really play in the top leagues In his career

European leagues probably weren't of a higher standard in the 60's. Most South American players stayed in their own leagues.

 

[ManCityGR!]

Now that he has finally won a World Cup, on the back off all he has achieved at club level, is Lionel Messi now officially the best player in football history?

The things Messi did with such 17 years long consistency cannot be repeated. He is the greatest dribbler of all time, one of the top goalscorers of all time, one of the best playmakers of all time, the leader on the amount of assists and key-passes, and did that year, after year, after year....
And as Ray Hudson would correctly say, it is not just the statistics, it's all these countless slaloms Messi did in every game avoiding a forest of feet while dribbling with the ball staying 10 centimeters away of his foot.
Even though this 91 goals in 2012 after 67 games statistic, is something noticeable too :)

And to think he did that on these defenses of the modern era, adds something to it even though it's unfair to the old players as they might as well perform the same in todays football.

Pele was the closest to Messi having all these skills but i think Messi's prime doing these lasted a lot longer.
Maradona also had these amazing playmaker abilities and his dribbling was at the same level(even though Messi had a little more pace and was losing the ball fewer times) but his sheer numbers were far less impressive in goals than Messi.
Ronaldo Nazario (the Brazilian) had all the package too, but lacked the playmaker abilities of Messi/Maradona and unfortunately injuries made his prime/good period a lot smaller and very quickly he became a pure offencive player(9), just a goal scoring machine with very little using of his dribbling ability that deteriorated anyway.
As for CR. Ronaldo he is one of the top goalscorers of all time, a freak of athletic abilities jumping high, running fast, excellent finishes, but in playmaking and dribbling ability(he was a good dribbler generally though in the start, but very rapidly he lost/abandoned it) he was light years away from the top ones.
Ronaldinho had all the package too, but his prime lasted a lot lot less. His way of life i guess....

So for me it's Messi, then Pele, then Maradona, then Brazilian Ronaldo.
Messi would be my first preference even if he did not win a World Cup. But he did and had a very good tournament so this just adds to him.

 

[Mancity1980]

The answer is no , but he is certainly above Fakeronaldo , i was lucky enough to see Pele in the flesh at Goodison Park in '66 World Cup , and i havent seen a better player , poetry in motion didnt do him justice. The Portuguese team kicked him from pillar to post and he didnt react , the game was far more physical in 1966 and he stood up to it , but eventually being carried off , no modern day footballer would put up with that treatment and come back for more , Pele did.

Growing up in the 80s Pele was always talked about being the GOAT. Maradona usually put in 2nd place. However I have to say Messi, based on only the footage I have seen of Pele, seems a bit better. Both players had wonderful moments on the big stages of the game as well as lesser fixtures but Messi seemed to have a lot more, it was almost like every week he did something special.

 

[Jesus2020]

Messi = 0 POTY for Manchester City.
Richard Dunne = 4 POTY.

The stats don't lie.

 

[spanishcityfan]

Is vinicius júnior lol