Messi or Ronaldo - Who's best

[Armagh18]

Serious Maradona nostalgia! He didn't play anywhere near as long as Messi, his stats are nowhere near as impressive as Messi or Ronaldo, was caught on drugs and all sorts and played for some seriously crap teams. Although his peak was something else and he is the loveable rogue type character but for me he's 3rd after Messi and Ronaldo. Messi's actually shown a bit of a nasty streak in him during this tournament which is great to see!

Zidane is the level below along with the likes of the Real Ronaldo.

I would say if R9 didnt suffer the injuries he did there would be no debate. He had absolutely everything

Yeah he was unreal.

[Milltown Row2]

Salah is better than both.

You would

[seafoid]

Neither Ronny nor Messi have won the World Cup as at date of posting.

[J70]

This is a pointless argument, but predictable. Pele and Maradona's achievements being downplayed and dismissed by so many due to recency bias and simple unfamiliarity.

I'm not old enough to have seen Pele play either, but the contemporary accounts you read can't just be dismissed out of hand.

Brazil 1970 are widely held to be one of the, if not THE, greatest teams ever, yet their coach said that if asked who his best player in every position was, he would have to say Pele. The man had every skill in the book, supreme athleticism, vision and intelligence, and basically did things on the field that no one had ever done before.

Maradona almost single handedly won a f**king World Cup, and carried a previously unsuccessful Napoli club to two Scudettos, in the era of Sacchi's generational Milan team.

40 years from now, the achievements of Messi will be similarly dismissed in favour of some star from that time.

[Armagh18]

This is a pointless argument, but predictable. Pele and Maradona's achievements being downplayed and dismissed by so many due to recency bias and simple unfamiliarity.

I'm not old enough to have seen Pele play either, but the contemporary accounts you read can't just be dismissed out of hand.

Brazil 1970 are widely held to be one of the, if not THE, greatest teams ever, yet their coach said that if asked who his best player in every position was, he would have to say Pele. The man had every skill in the book, supreme athleticism, vision and intelligence, and basically did things on the field that no one had ever done before.

Maradona almost single handedly won a f**king World Cup, and carried a previously unsuccessful Napoli club to two Scudettos, in the era of Sacchi's generational Milan team.

40 years from now, the achievements of Messi will be similarly dismissed in favour of some star from that time.

It's nearly impossible to compare tbh. Nostalgia comes into it too when looking back. Look at the state of the pitches Pele, Best, Maradona had to play on, with heavy balls and defenders out to snap legs.

[imtommygunn]

Every era is different too. It's the same in GAA. You can't say a midfielder from the 80s was better than one now or vice versa when it comes to "best ever" because it's a different game. Things like the backpass, tackle from behind and stuff like that in soccer make it different now too.

[Armagh18]

Every era is different too. It's the same in GAA. You can't say a midfielder from the 80s was better than one now or vice versa when it comes to "best ever" because it's a different game. Things like the backpass, tackle from behind and stuff like that in soccer make it different now too.

Yeah and add in the fact that George Best was on the drink half the time and Maradona was coked off his head. They weren't exactly looking after themselves like pro athletes the way Messi and Ronaldo have.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Quality of pitches big factor too

[Armamike]

We'll go round in circles as people generally don't budge in their views on the greatest.  Messi is up there with Pele and Maradona and above Cruyff and Zidanne  imo.  But Pele or Maradona for me.  Was too young during Pele's time and ironically any clips we tend to see now are of the goals he missed! Though they were great misses. 
Maradona dragged teams along with him and was able to change the direction and momentum of a game.  My one question over Messi is his ability to do this. I haven't seen much evidence of this in big games for Barca or Argentina and in the recent match against the Dutch I thought it was disappointing he couldn't get on the ball and get his side back into it when the Dutch turned the heat up.  That might sound a bit picky to some but if we're labelling a player as the best ever then the bar is set pretty high. 

[trailer]

Every era is different too. It's the same in GAA. You can't say a midfielder from the 80s was better than one now or vice versa when it comes to "best ever" because it's a different game. Things like the backpass, tackle from behind and stuff like that in soccer make it different now too.

Sorry you're wrong. Michael Murphy was the best ever. We've all agreed. Unrivalled.

[gawa316]

Every era is different too. It's the same in GAA. You can't say a midfielder from the 80s was better than one now or vice versa when it comes to "best ever" because it's a different game. Things like the backpass, tackle from behind and stuff like that in soccer make it different now too.

Yeah and add in the fact that George Best was on the drink half the time and Maradona was coked off his head. They weren't exactly looking after themselves like pro athletes the way Messi and Ronaldo have.

You would need to at Paddy McCourt to the conversation as well then

[imtommygunn]

Love watching his greatest goals.

[David McKeown]

The reason I suggested Xavi is that for me he changed the way football is played. Messi and Ronaldo whilst very very good. I don't think they entirely changed the game. The game now is far more possession and passing based than it was pre Xavi. Xavi is the main reason for that.

His stats are equally if not more remarkable than Messi or Ronaldos. For example. In the history of the World Cup before Xavi retired only two other players had recorded 100+ successful passes in a single game. Xavi did it 4 times in his first seven matches. Now at this World Cup 10 players managed it in the first round of matches alone.

About 10 years ago Xavi played for 67 minutes in a La Liga game against Levante. In that game Xavi recorded more touches, more passes and more time in possession than the Levante did in 90 minutes.

Of course none of this means I'm correct. But I think it does show how pointless the debate is. 

[gawa316]

The reason I suggested Xavi is that for me he changed the way football is played. Messi and Ronaldo whilst very very good. I don't think they entirely changed the game. The game now is far more possession and passing based than it was pre Xavi. Xavi is the main reason for that.

His stats are equally if not more remarkable than Messi or Ronaldos. For example. In the history of the World Cup before Xavi retired only two other players had recorded 100+ successful passes in a single game. Xavi did it 4 times in his first seven matches. Now at this World Cup 10 players managed it in the first round of matches alone.

About 10 years ago Xavi played for 67 minutes in a La Liga game against Levante. In that game Xavi recorded more touches, more passes and more time in possession than the Levante did in 90 minutes.

Of course none of this means I'm correct. But I think it does show how pointless the debate is.

Kinda like Steph Curry...he has changed the NBA but doubt he will ever be in the Jordan, Bird, Kobe, Lebron etc. conversation...(there is no conversation it's MJ btw).

[imtommygunn]

Also Brian Dooher.