07 May 2025 09:32:19
Not Liverpool related but what a game that was last night, Yamal has far surpassed Messi in terms of appearances goals etc at his age, I can't believe he's still only 17!
Ed01 do you think we can be better than Messi? The best of all time maybe?
{Ed001's Note - Messi is the most overrated player of all time, it is not the highest bar to get over.}
07 May 2025 11:19:27
ED001 i agree about Messi, thought he was protected by the refs n people say he was better than Maradona. not a patch on him.
07 May 2025 11:27:36
That's an interesting take Ed01. Why do you think he is overrated? In my opinion he did all you could possibly want from an attacker. The only major flaw was he never defended but then most elite attackers don't seem to either. Also, it was genuinely fun to watch him play especially early on in his career.
{Ed001's Note - I would want him to reach Maradona's level, but he was nowhere near. He was good, but he was made to look better by the cheating that goes on (and still is going on in MLS) to give him every decision. He can foul someone, handball it and yet still get a free kick. Without having every official up his backside, he would not have had the freedom to play he was given, as most defenders would not have been scared to tackle him.}
07 May 2025 11:41:53
I’m too young for maradona it I think Messi has been the best player of the last 30 years but this yamal kid is insanely good for his age.
07 May 2025 11:49:25
Messi was one of the best players of the last 20 years, in my opinion, but no where near as good as Maradona, who I consider to be the best ever.
07 May 2025 12:19:14
For me, its always Cristiano Ronaldo over Messi.
07 May 2025 12:24:00
Messi as pointed out on here (Ed’ 002?) is a GM player, GM meaning genetically modified, or peds since he was 16.
Maradona, I am lucky enough to have watched him in my life (not in flesh), anyone who hasn’t seen any video of him playing should, he used to get kicked around the pitch, yet boy did he drag that team to a scuddetto.
Just watch the WC game v England, the goal when he picked up the ball in his own half, ran through to score after putting some players on their backside.
There’s many more, tale of when he first went into Barcelona dressing room, Lineker tells it, no one knew the kid, Maradona rolled up pair socks, kept the socks in the air for ages, dressing room was silent in awe.
07 May 2025 12:38:33
Messi overrated? Must really not be a fan of Cristiano then Ed as Messi is miles above him.
Agree however that Maradona tops him for me but to call Messi massively overrated is absurd. Madrid used to kick lumps out of him when Jose was in charge and he still produced moments of utter brilliance. Absolute magician and second only to Maradona of who’ve I’ve seen.
{Ed001's Note - what the hell has Cristiano got to do with it? Another ridiculously overrated player. I hate this idiotic child's view that it has to be one or the other of those two, neither of whom are in the top bracket of players. I would rather have the real Ronaldo than either, let alone Cruyff, Maradona, Pele etc.}
07 May 2025 12:38:37
Maradona was the best ever.
Kew, that story didn't happen at Barcelona, mate. Lineker and Maradona played together for a combined team against an English FA team. Lineker was at Barcelona at the time but Maradona had moved on.
Maradona also had a big reputation before joining Barcelona.
{Ed001's Note - wasn't he a world record fee on joining Barca?}
07 May 2025 13:31:57
Gary Lineker joined Barcelona two years after Maradona left. Cool story though.
07 May 2025 14:17:13
Messi the best of the last 15 years, but think R9 without the horrible injuries would have gone down as better. Absolutely brilliant player at his peak, was the best player at the 98 WC by a mile.
07 May 2025 14:29:38
I remember that game Rigsby.
Maradona, Platini and Linekar did play in the same game. I think it was 2-2, 2 late goals by Maradona’s team.
07 May 2025 14:49:32
Agreed Ed1 and FM. Ronaldo - the real one was outstanding, wow what a player! I saw a short video of him again not too long ago and it's just a reminder that there's nobody quite like that nowadays.
Regarding Messi and Ronaldo of today though, when you think of all the players we've seen - would they get into a top 10? For me there's absolutely no chance but I'm also thinking of legendary players in general not just forwards.
07 May 2025 15:04:29
I started watching footy from 2002. For me Ronaldinho. He is immense. He pulled everything just like that. Sometimes it looks like he is playing with U18. Its bad his personal life affected his onfield performance. Even with that he is pure fun. Watching him is more fun than anyone IMO.
07 May 2025 15:24:56
LS29, What a pity you did not see "Diego" play. I was fortunate to see Diego play every single minute in the WC in Mexico 1986 live and with Napoli (altho, a lot later) and trust me, Ed01 is correct. Mate, never seen anything like it apart from the clips I used to watch of Pele back then. Messi is nowhere near Diego's level. Not even close esp if you consider the way Messi was allowed to do whatever he wanted in La Liga and the protection he got from the refs.
That is something Diego never got in his career. Quit the contrary. Diego used to get kicked from Pillar to post with NO protection from refs in the Serie A, it was bordering on assault. Had that been Messi, he wouldn't have a career, IMO.
07 May 2025 15:26:33
O have been watching football since that late 50's and Pele is far and away the best player ever. He won 3 world cups and would surely have won a 4th if he hadn't been brutally attacked at the pit against Portugal. The only two players who are fit to the his bootlaces are Cryff who I saw at Anfield as a 19 year old in Dec 66 and of course the king.
07 May 2025 15:29:56
{Ed001's Note - wasn't he a world record fee on joining Barca? }
Yes, Diego was a world record fee to Barcelona back then.
As for Cristiano, he is even more overrated. And people dared to compare him to O Phenomeno. That would be a slapable offence and where I grew up (we we worshipped R9, as youngsters), you would get slapped right in the teeth for daring to put Cristiano and him in the same sentence. I promise you that.
07 May 2025 16:15:03
Interesting takes. I can't really comment on the older players, but genuinely I thought Messi was incredible and one of those talents who makes the game look effortless.
07 May 2025 16:16:48
Diego had to contend with two of the hardest persons ever to walk a football pitch in Goikoetxea and Gentile. Messi and Ronaldo never had to deal with anything like the brutality and physical stuff they dished out.
07 May 2025 16:49:56
Viktor, Gentile would NEVER be allowed on a football pitch in these days after what he did to Diego in WC '82.
07 May 2025 18:24:03
And Bestie ❤️ for those few years at least. Just sublime.
07 May 2025 19:19:06
Goikoetxea broke Maradona's leg when he played for Barcelona.
The closest I came to seeing Maradona was watching The Butcher of Bilbao when we played them in the European Cup in '84.
Tenuous link of the day ?.
07 May 2025 19:32:25
Diego was the closest thing to a “one man team”.
An absolute phenomenon, no-one has come close.
I doubt they ever will.