Lionel Messi

[Hoop Blah]

It's not so much the 'come back when you've won a World Cup', but more a 'come back when you've suceeded at more than just winning things with probably the best club side that ever lived'.

I'm not knocking Messi, but being the player to transform an average team into a winning one is a hell of an achievement and something that can mark down a player as better than his peers. In many eyes that's a greater contribution than being one of the best players, and key ingredients, in a team that is just on a different level than any other out there.

To transform that team into a team that wins the biggest competition in the World (which is was at the time, but might not be now) at one of the very few attempts you have at doing it, shows a magnificant amount of ability, both physically and mentally.

I think (at least the last time I saw anything about this on the TV I think this was the case) that the people of Argentina would still be pretty clear declaring Maradona as the better player. That's got to say something hasn't it?

[TBM]

20 in his last 8 games.

Even bigger

Against the formidable sides such as Granada, Sevilla, Racing Santander

[Royal Rother]

Don't forget Switzerland.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Fernando Torres (3 in 36), Andy Carroll (5 in 31) and Luis Suarez (10 in 36) have scored as many goals in a combined 103 league matches as Lionel Messi has in 7.

[Bandini]

Haven't read more than the first page but Maradona > Messi, so far.

[daswonder]

Messi is this generations grear but Maradona for 86 and what he did at Napoli (it would be like Everton winning a modern day league title) still edges it for me

[RobRoyal]

Haven't read more than the first page but Maradona > Messi, so far.

Read the rest and think again

[SLAMMED]

Best player i've ever seen, no question.

This

[postwhisperer]

An overpaid star leading a team of overpaid stars.. and they win games? get out of here.

[RobRoyal]

An overpaid star leading a team of overpaid stars.. and they win games? get out of here.

You are seriously rubbish at trolling. I don't even understand what you're going for here?

[SLAMMED]

It's a shame because I was actually starting to like pw as a poster, but he's gone down in my estimations recently.

[FiNeRaIn]

It's a shame because I was actually starting to like pw as a poster, but he's gone down in my estimations recently.

He's just a troll for the most part. I know where he gets it.

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

Fernando Torres (3 in 37), Andy Carroll (5 in 32) and Luis Suarez (10 in 37) have scored as many goals in a combined 106 league matches as Lionel Messi has in 7.

Updated after tonight, although it is a bit harsh because Carroll only played for 8 minutes.

[sandman]

José Luis Paradas Romero‎ thinks Messi's great and Barca are his favourite team. Which is nice an' all but doesn't really help with impatiality when he's refereeing Real Madrid matches.

[manny96]

Messi for me but biased to my own lifetime. Perhaps there's a modesty about him which makes his level of skill seem more functional than a work of art. He seems at ease with himself as a player and as a member of a team that I've never seen from Maradona.

[FiNeRaIn]

gotta love maradonna though...ball juggling to the music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbaa2oTazMU

la la la la la

[postwhisperer]

An overpaid star leading a team of overpaid stars.. and they win games? get out of here.

You are seriously rubbish at trolling. I don't even understand what you're going for here?

the phrase is "flavor of the month".. seen it before, torres, stevie g, kaka, ronaldihno.. "best in the world".. ofc messi relies on service by teammates.. if he was getting passes from reading town dont think he would be as successful.. its like saying michael jordan is best bballa in the world.. what about scottie pippen? my point.

[Royal Rother]

You're pissed, right?

Messi has the best left foot I've ever seen, is the best finisher I've ever seen, is the best dribbler I've ever seen, is incredibly unselfish for one so talented yet you think he's reliant on others to feed him the ball...?

I'll take a whoosh on the chin btw.

[soggy biscuit]

seen it before, stevie g.

Not sure if serious

[RobRoyal]

Apparently even the worst fishermen can still secure a decent supper!