His reverence for Steven Spielberg movies like "Saving Private Ryan," "Lincoln" and "Munich" borders on the religious. What is Messi known for? Ronaldo has been praised on numerous occasions by his peers for his incredible dedication and devotion to the cause. Who is the only soccer player in the same league as Messi? He is a co-winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award and two national journalism awards from Argentina. He had to play through injuries more often than not, but there were no complaints from the little Argentine, who wheezed past his opponents as if they were invisible. Maradona who died on November 25, 2020 came from the humblest of homes to become the most celebrated soccer player of his generation. Messi's body structure is what that helps him to change his pace so quickly and it helps him to change his direction of dribbling without having to bleed away momentum- unlike Ronaldo. Talking about that goal he said, Not even the photographers managed to capture what really happened. Supremely effective and hugely prolific at Ajax, where he won three European Cups, eight league titles and, individually, three Ballons d'Or. WebMessi had to play with players who are more professional, competitive and the game is now much more complex than when maradona played. Three days' national mourning in his homeland and mass outpourings of grief and celebration on the streets of Naples highlight the esteem in which he was held. In Spain, Maradona won three domestic cups, helping him sign for Napoli in Italy. Now, we are in a situation where players can pick up yellow cards for a single bad tackle and receive straight red cards for tackles which were commonly inflicted on Maradona. You despair to think about how good a player Maradona might have been if he was pushed to meet 21st century standards of professionalism and had a Cristiano Ronaldo alongside him all the way. Unlike many of the South American stars from his generation, Maradona was able to command a lot of respect in the European football scene. Successful dribbles: Messi 63%-59% Maradona. It was no wonder that Juventus decided to pay more than 100 million for a player approaching the end of his career. The pair of left-footed icons are among the greatest sports stars to ever live, boasting almost unmatched records. Football - Germany v Argentina - FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 - Final - Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 13/7/14, Argentina's Lionel Messi (L) in action with Germany's Toni Kroos, Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine. But in the end he also changed the mind of his mother, who like many conservative Argentines had applauded the junta for ostensibly bringing "order" to a chaotic country. Yet, it was not long before Messi was able to overcome his South American counterpart in terms of popularity and numbers on the field. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. WebNaturally, Maradona is of the view that he was superior, while Pele told Goal in 2017: "I always say to him: Maradona, you can be level with Pele when you have scored more Maradona went to the relegation-threatened Napoli in 1984, played against the very best of the game, countered catenaccio and man-marking and still shone the brightest, securing his clubs rise in the process. On being asked who was the better footballer between the two, the Napoli legend brushed aside the question smartly. "My youngest kid is 23, he had no idea what happened. Saudi sports strategy challenges global sports governors and activists alike, Holocaust recognition and the fight against antisemitism, Mass protests continue into the night in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Netanyahu compares Tel Aviv protesters to settlers who set fire to Huwara, As protests sweep nation, police use aggressive means to clear Tel Aviv rally, Israel should wipe out Palestinian town of Huwara, says senior minister Smotrich. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Messi is the first Argentine to captain the side to glory since Maradona, Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup replicating his idol Diego Maradona, among the greatest sports stars to ever live, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). His Barcelona achievements (10 league and four Champions League titles) are a different story, where he has set new standards with a consistent level of genius previously not seen in European football. A statement from The International Football Association Board said: A tackle from behind which endangers the safety of an opponent must be sanctioned as serious foul play. Fifa added: Acts of serious foul play are punishable by a red card. Life became a lot easier for attacking players. After starting out as a relatively unknown at Manchester United, Ronaldo forced Sir Alex Ferguson to give him a free role and Ferguson is a manager who has always put the team ahead of a player. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. He did come close to winning the World Cup with Argentina in 2014 when the team finished as the runner-up. 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He racked up over 300 career goals for his slate of clubs (most of whom were never close to as good as theBarcelonateamsMessihas featured for, but we'll get to that later), but the stats don't lie on this one., If we're not here assessing the two greatest players to have ever played the game, then we're at least here assessing the two most effective dribblers. The transformation of his career from a great player to the greatest would come about when he made a world record transfer to Real Madrid in 2009. Maradona scored or assisted nine of Argentina's 11 goals by the end of the semi-finals back in 1986, while Messi has contributed to eight of this current Argentina side's 12 goals. The move paid off extremely well with Messi getting 23 goals in 31 league appearances in Guardiolas first season. 16 Who has won the most trebles in Scottish football? For Moreno Ocampo, the politics of the dirty war were personal and familial. From Carles Puyol to Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar (albeit briefly) and Luis Suarez Messi always had world-class players aplenty by his side. Furthermore, although Maradona is now in retirement, he continues to influence football matches through interviews and presentations. ", For his part, Moreno Ocampo credits the film's courtroom verisimilitude to Mitre and Argentine producer Victoria Alonso, who "understand very well these John Ford movies on justice. This is quite different from the days of Maradona and Pele, as South American greats were competing in different eras. Real Madrid is often the stuff of dreams for a footballer partly because of the glamour associated with playing at Santiago Bernabeu along with several other stars. It's no surprise that Messi has been so often compared to Maradona seeing as they're both left-footed, diminutive Argentinean males considered by many to be the standout player of their generation. Especially in the 80s, after Italy won the 1982 World Cup, playing ultra-defensive and reactive football but still subduing Brazils on-pitch poetry, catenaccio (door-bolt, a defensive system) or its variants became en vogue. WebLionel Messi will never be able to better Diego Maradona "even if he wins four World Cups in a row", according to Argentina legend Mario Kempes. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Messi might not be a very physically imposing player, but he has the low centre of gravity that enables him to achieve quick movements on the field with amazing ease. Messi has won 10 league titles and four Champions League titles. For more from Robbie Copeland, follow him on Twitter! It is in their personal characteristics where one can find the real differences between them. Unsurprisingly, comparison of Ronaldo and Messi with the latest of the two legends Maradona has been subject of frequent debates amongst football fans and experts for several years. He became a goalscoring phenomenon at the Bernabeu and is one of the world's most recognisable sportsmen. But statistics can be misleading. LIONEL MESSI cemented himself further as a footballing legend by becoming the first Argentine to lift the World Cup since Diego Maradona. Messi's achievements are without parallel in world football and it is not even his debut season: he became the first player to score 100 or more goals in a single campaign when Barca beat Real Madrid 4-1 last month. Lionel Messi is an Argentina national team and FC Barcelona soccer player. The attacking midfielder also had an eye for goal. Maradona, on the other hand, had three league championships and a Uefa Cup to his credit. There's more to his game, but626 goals in 715 games for Barcelona is nuts., Don't get me wrong, Maradona was never shy from hitting the back of the net. Total duels won: Maradona 63%-53% Messi. Back in the early 1980s, Moreno Ocampo wasn't an urbane 70-year-old man of the world, but a young, very green attorney who'd never prosecuted a single case. He was the stand-out player as Argentina won the 1986 World Cup with a little help from the Hand of God and his silky skills and driven determination saw him inspire Napoli to the first two Serie A titles in their history and a maiden UEFA Cup victory. They are both strategists and team players, and they are both highly technical with the ball, which seems attached with Velcro to their feet, only to be shot with devastating force when circumstances are favorable. The midfield maestro - who died in June - won the Argentine league in 1981 with Boca Juniors before moving to Barcelona. Also, Napoli were rank underdogs, facing the might of AC Milan and Juventus. Unsurprisingly, Messi has only managed 37 goals in almost 100 competitive appearances for Argentina. In 2011, he scored 121 goals in all competitions but was accused of deliberately losing matches because he did not want to be chosen as goalkeeper Sergio Romero's backup. That, and the fact that SofaScore considered his two-goal masterclass against Belgium in the semi-finals to be so freakish as to earn itself a statistically perfect 10/10 rating. Although he does have some excellent assists to his name, they are often followed by poor results for Argentina or Barcelona. Pictures would attest how Italian defender Claudio Gentile resorted to rugby tackles to stop Maradona during the 1982 World Cup. First of all, the game was different in the 1980s and early 90s. After Messis exceptional performance in the World Cup an old controversy continues. Football has been around for more than a century but only a handful of players have been able to achieve legendary status while transcending through different generations of fans. While Ronaldo currently has more goals overall, Messi has the edge in the scoring department, with a higher season average (37.9 to 35), having hit a high of 73 goals in 2011-12, though his average dropped after a disappointing maiden campaign at PSG in 2021-22. Who is the best player in Copa America history? Barcelona, the football club, tweaked its system and formation to suit him. In just six seasons at Old Trafford, Ronaldo transformed himself from an unpolished diamond into a global star, but his transformation was not yet complete. Its Hollywood.". Messi. First, Messi plays in better era of football, in terms of how advanced it is and he is consistent for last 14 years. He is also a prolific s Yet, Ronaldo displayed a remarkable sense of being able to thrive in such an environment as he went from strength to strength. While Maradona was addicted to drugs, Messi is a clean player, with a normal family life. 2011-2023 Sports Mole Ltd. All rights reserved. This is debatable. What was evident in Maradona, however, was his street urchin savvy. Hence, it is natural that comparisons have come about pitting Maradona with modern-day greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He scored in each of their five successive European Cup victories and single-handedly drove them to their first league triumph in 20 years in his first season at the club, one of eight he would win at the Bernabeu in addition to his two Ballons d'Or. That was the kind of influence he exercised on the team.". So if he were Merrick Garland, would he make the 45th U.S. president take the stand? The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. The issue is, who is today supporting a mob rebellion against the Congress?". The claim was made by former teammate Javier Mascherano who said: "If you ask me if Messi hates Romero, then yes, he does.". Maradona on the other hand? Messi plays at a time when players, especially ball-players, get a lot of protection from match officials. She called me and she said, I still love Gen. Videla, but you are right. It remains the first and only permanent international body granted jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes of aggression and crimes against humanity. Along the way, he scored his wonder goal against England Argentinas arch rivals because of The Falklands War. Csar Luis Menotti, who managed the Argentine team that won the 1978 World Cup defined Maradonas talent this way, I am always cautious about using the word geniusThe beauty of Diegos game has a hereditary element his natural ease with the ball- but it also owes a lot to his ability to learn: a lot of those brushstrokes, those strokes of genius, are in fact a product of his hard work. In 1981 with Boca Juniors before moving to Barcelona capture what really happened rugby! She called me and she said, I still love Gen. 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