But if he had the coaching and science behind today's athletes how would he fair?

It really is hard to judge who is the "best" in history. Even pitch standards could have an effect.

So would Landon Donavon, really bad point.

But for his time and age, Pele was out of this world. What don't you get about that? Yes we know football evolves and current players would destroy the leagues from 50's.

But Messi is only good because he has stayed in 1 team, not proven in Italy, France, England, Portugal, Germany, ect. ect. He stay's where he is comfortable. That is not the quota of a GOAT.

He will be the best player Barcelona has ever seen, but not the best player Argentina, or the world has ever seen. Many many players above him.

You almost had me until that point. Pele played for Santos pretty much his whole career. Really bad point.

Everyone is making the mistake of making an objective issue a subjective one. Messi is clearly the best of all time, he has everything. Zidane and Crouyff weren't prolific, neither was Maradona, but people don't ever mention that, do they?

Stupidity at its purest form.

Cruyff and Zidane scored more than enough goals considering the roles they played.

They are rated among the best for 2 reasons: the ability to excell in many different tactical systems, and for what they added to the game. Cruyff, aside from the fact he was the best player in the world at the time, was one of the most intelligent players ever. He rarely made the wrong decision; even as a player he'd design some of the team's tactics and organize his team on the pitch. Zidane played so elegantly...

For me both of these players are among the best ever, but not on Maradona's level. Messi could be on this level at the end of his carreer.



refer to:

I'm aware of our previous conversation on this issue, and my point remains the same. Messi has everything that Cruyff and Zidane had in footballing intelligence, and is better at everything else. Goals win football matches and he scores more than even the best strikers of all time like Ronaldo and Henry. Yes, Cruyff, Zidane and Maradona scored more than enough goals in their positions, but Messi isn't exactly a striker himself, so let's appreciate how insane his stats are. Even the biggest PL fanboys can't deny his record is insane, especially when considering that Cruyff and Zidane played in the same league, whereas Maradona probably played in a worse one.

Maradona probably played in the best league ever. No league has dominated european football like late 80s / early 90s Serie A.

Look at how Barça and Madrid are tearing records both in La Liga and CL though. Swap Messi and Cristiano for Cruyff and Maradon, and I really doubt the team's stats would go down.

LOL. Madrid this year and last year. Otherwise shit,
Barca sure. They have been great last 10 years.

sry, but everybody who does not think maradona is the goat is clearly clueless imo...

and to mention ronaldinho as one of the all time greats is even more ridiculous. guy is cool and all and was very f*cking exciting for the relatively short time he was in his prime but sry, no way he is even top 10...

In 2012 they beat the record for most goals and points in La Liga, as welll as the greatest GD in CL group stages...



agreed

This post was edited by zarkadon on May 9 2015 04:09pm