Lionel Messi

[Rich]

Does it matter?

[Pablo]

I think people are being a touch sentimental if they rate Maradonna higher than Messi IMO.

[The_weatherman]

One more thing, lets get this straight. Just because I think Maradona is better does not mean I do not rate Messi FFS. He is clearly one of the best players to have ever played this game, an incredible talent, however IMO he is not as good as Diego.

I know mate, but Messi is better.....

[The_weatherman]

Does it matter?

Why on earth aer you on a football forum????

[Daniel 7]

I know mate, but Messi is better.....

[Tee]

I know mate, but Messi is better.....

[Shaggy]

I know mate, but Messi is better.....

[The_weatherman]

It was just laying out there, someone had to.

[red g]

Honours

Barcelona 273 goals in 346 games

• La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12; Runner-up 2010–11
• Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011; Runner-up 2012
• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
• UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011

Argentina 31 goals in 75 games

• Olympic Gold Medal: 2008
• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005

Runner Up:

• Copa America: 2007

Third Place:

• U20 South American Youth Championship: 2005

Individual

• FIFA Ballon d'Or (2): 2010, 2011
• Ballon d'Or (1): 2009
• FIFA World Player of the Year (1): 2009
• World Soccer Player of the Year (2): 2009, 2011
• World Soccer Young Player of the Year (3): 2006, 2007, 2008
• ESM Team of the Year (5): 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011-12
• European Golden Shoe (2): 2010, 2012
• Pichichi Trophy (2): 2010, 2012
• La Liga Player of the Year (3): 2009, 2010, 2011
• LFP Best Player (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• LFP Best Forward (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• La Liga Foreign Player of the Year (3): 2007, 2009, 2010
• La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year (5): 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• UEFA Champions League Top Goalscorer (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• UEFA Best Player in Europe Award (1): 2011
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (1): 2009
• UEFA Champions League Forward of the Year (1): 2009
• UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match (1): 2011
• UEFA Team of the Year (4): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
• Onze d'Or (3): 2009, 2011, 2012. (There was no winner in 2010)
• Bravo Award (1): 2007
• Tuttosport Golden Boy (1): 2005
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (2): 2009, 2011
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament (1): 2005
• FIFA U-20 World Cup top goalscorer (1): 2005
• Copa América Young Player of the Tournament (1): 2007
• FIFPro World Young Player of the Year (3): 2006, 2007, 2008
• FIFA/FIFPro World XI (5): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
• Sportsperson of the Year of Argentina (1): 2011
• Footballer of the Year of Argentina (6): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
• Male Best Athlete in Latin America (1): 2011
• Marca Leyenda (1): 2009
• L'Équipe Champion of Champions (1): 2011
• IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer (1): 2011[252]
• Best International Athlete ESPY Award (1): 2012

Records

• Most goals scored in a season in all competitions: 73 goals
• Most goals scored in a European Cup season: 14 goals (held jointly with José Altafini)
• Most La Liga hat-tricks in one season: 8 hat-tricks
• Most European Cup top scorer awards: 4 awards (shared with Gerd Müller)
• Most consecutive La Liga matches scored in: 10 matches (shared with Ronaldo and Mariano Martín)
• Most goals scored in FIFA Club World Cup: 4 goals (held jointly with Denilson)
• Barcelona top goalscorer in official competitions: 270 goals
• Barcelona Record Goalscorer in UEFA Champions League: 53 goals
• Barcelona Record Goalscorer in European Competitions: 54 goals
• Barcelona Record Goalscorer in international Competitions: 58 goals

He is 25...........25 years old!!!! Lets say he scores only 30 goals a season for the next five seasons, he'll end up with about 430 goals by the time he's 30.

Diego Maradona at 25.

273 club games
198 Goals

44 International games 19 goals.


Boca Juniors
Metropolitano championship (1): 1981

Barcelona
Copa del Rey (1): 1983
Copa de la Liga (1): 1983
Supercopa de España (1): 1983

Argentina
FIFA World Youth Championship (1): 1979
FIFA World Cup (1): 1986 Runner-up: 1990
75th anniversary FIFA Cup (1): 1979


[edit] Individual
Golden Ball for Best Player of the FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1979
Argentine league Top Scorer: 1979, 1980, 1981
World Player of the Year: 1979 (Guerin Sportivo)
Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year: 1979, 1980, 1981,
South American Footballer of the Year: (official award) 1979, 1980
Olimpia de Oro: 1979
Italian Guerin d'Oro: 1985


While I think Maradona is a little Genius, And I actually think his greatest achievement was probably carrying Napoli to the title. When you compare the 2 at this age its clear to see that Messi will go down as the greatest.

He Maybe playing for the Greatest club side we have ever witnessed but he is the reason they are where they are, They have some wonderfully talented players in that team, but its Messi's flair, intelligence and sheer brilliance that takes that team from just being excellent to the best ever.

[Maxiedge]

Surely the only way to settle this is for Messi to become a cokehead so it's a level playing field?

[Shaggy]

[Tee]

Surely the only way to settle this is for Messi to become a cokehead so it's a level playing field?

That would be ****ing epic.

[RichC]

And IMO Messi has all of that in abundance, more so than Maradona.

[Fosterbloke]

He should join Stoke and win them the league. That should settle it.

Can you imagine a team of 9 ****houses, a keeper and Messi? Lol

[red g]

He should join Stoke and win them the league. That should settle it.

Can you imagine a team of 9 ****houses, a keeper and Messi? Lol

Even the great Lionel messi could not perform on a Wet Wednesday night at the Brittania, **** World cup and CL winning medals that is a true barometer of a players ability.