Lionel Messi

[postwhisperer]

im just sayign there was a time when everyone thought ronaldihno was better than maradona (who most claim besides pele best in the world, but w/e) he had all the big corporate deals, the skills.. then it all ended... messi is still early days.. i mean look at cronaldo.. hes playing for cack team but still bangs in like 30 goals a season... thats a striker.. ruud is a great player.. what about bergkamp? comeon.. why not a goalkeeper? discuss

[RobRoyal]

im just sayign there was a time when everyone thought ronaldihno was better than maradona

There really wasn't.

[TBM]

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

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

la la la la la

lol, catchy

and LOL @ whoever said that Maradona was all about pace, and not skill........Messi has great feet, granted, but skill wise Maradona wins hands down

[soggy biscuit]

I am sure I remember Maradonna juggling the ball on one shoulder while waiting to kick off the world cup final. Until Messi does that he is sh*t

[Simon's Church]

Not to be outdone, Sergio Ramos became the most sent off player in Real Madrid's history yesterday. Only 25 as well, got plenty of time to go on and become on of the best ever red card receivers.

[Seal]

If Messi wants to be known as the greatest he needs to come to Reading and help win us the Premier League, then go and win the World Cup with Argentina.

I will personally then be happy to advocate him as the greatest.

The most astonishing thing about Messi is the level of consistency. Is it 3 successive 40+ goal seasons now?

[RobRoyal]

Yeah. And 50 last season. And probably 60 this season

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Last four seasons have been 38, 47, 53, and he's currently on 54.

[sandman]

Not to be outdone, Sergio Ramos became the most sent off player in Real Madrid's history yesterday. Only 25 as well, got plenty of time to go on and become on of the best ever red card receivers.

The incompetent moron who was refereeing sent Ramos off for two yellows when he'd only booked him once so the ban has been rescinded. Obviously the Spanish federation have attempted a cover up and said he did book him twice but didn't write the imaginary first yellow in his note book. He also booked Villareal's Marco Ruben twice and failed to show a red card, Ozil got a straight red for sarcastically applauding the terrible decision for the Ramos red and Rui Faria the fitness coach got sent off for clapping a Ronaldo run.

[postwhisperer]

tbf i would give a straight red for sarcastic clapping and players waving imaginary cards, no place in football sorry folks

[Victor Meldrew]

I would just like to add that you lot should just enjoy watching Messi-players as good as him only come around every 25 years or so.
As with Pele he generally doesn't get rattled when a player takes him out which happens about 3-4 times every game.
He has already scored 6 hat-tricks this season and I understand that at 24 he is Barcelona's highest scorer ever,let alone loads of assists.
I started watching Spanish football regularly about 10 years ago when the coverage increased and my previous favourite player was Figo,a player that could glide across the grass and was one of those rarities,a player who did well at both Barcelona and Real Madrid.

I prefer La Liga to the Premier League in England and was one of the few not surprised at Athletic Bilbao's recent humiliation of Man Utd-they aremnowhere near the best in Spain but have a nucleus of younger players in a tightly-knit regional club who pass and move (compared to most of our sides that pass and stand still).
Reading gives me my fix of English football-a team of triers with a great work ethic and having grown up in Reading then naturally they are my team,for better or for worse.
On the other hand for admiration of skill and players that do things that I could never do Barcelona and the attacking big (or rather,small)three of Xavi,Iniesta and Messi currently make Saturday or Sunday night viewing a pleasure and on a different planet to the stuff produced in the Premier League.
Three of the best players in the Premier League,Ya Ya,Silva and Aguerro were far from being stars in La Liga and the first two were not even regular starters at Barcelona and Valencia and yet,along with Mata (not necessarily a starter for Spain)are most weeks outstanding in our top league.

Back to Messi, in my view he is up there with Maradona and Pele but TV covered those earlier two far less whereas we now see every game that Messi plays and long may that continue.

[sandman]

tbf i would give a straight red for sarcastic clapping and players waving imaginary cards, no place in football sorry folks

Massive place for it. How else is the referee going to know how to do his job properly?

[postwhisperer]

pele is a pretty dumb standard to set in terms of "best footballer ever" sure. he was good. so would bas savage if he played back then. pele got extremely lucky for being a technically gifted player in a time were most players were herpa derps. maradona is the best ever. messi is on his way. but he still has a long career ahead of him, and could easily go off the boil like many players before him... time will decide.. until then i will reserve my judgment

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

pele is a pretty dumb standard to set in terms of "best footballer ever" sure. he was good. so would bas savage if he played back then. pele got extremely lucky for being a technically gifted player in a time were most players were herpa derps. maradona is the best ever. messi is on his way. but he still has a long career ahead of him, and could easily go off the boil like many players before him... time will decide.. until then i will reserve my judgment

Pele was also a world class ankle clipper. Messi is more honest and clean.

[sandman]

pele is a pretty dumb standard to set in terms of "best footballer ever" sure. he was good. so would bas savage if he played back then. pele got extremely lucky for being a technically gifted player in a time were most players were herpa derps. maradona is the best ever. messi is on his way. but he still has a long career ahead of him, and could easily go off the boil like many players before him... time will decide.. until then i will reserve my judgment

Pele was also a world class ankle clipper. Messi is more honest and clean.

Yeah he's a real saint.

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

Compare and contrast with a real gentleman of the game and a proper role model for the children of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L5rfISFZTg

[GreaterTorontoRoyal]

pele is a pretty dumb standard to set in terms of "best footballer ever" sure. he was good. so would bas savage if he played back then. pele got extremely lucky for being a technically gifted player in a time were most players were herpa derps. maradona is the best ever. messi is on his way. but he still has a long career ahead of him, and could easily go off the boil like many players before him... time will decide.. until then i will reserve my judgment

Pele was also a world class ankle clipper. Messi is more honest and clean.

Yeah he's a real saint.

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

Compare and contrast with a real gentleman of the game and a proper role model for the children of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L5rfISFZTg

And if he did that for Reading against West Ham you'd be calling him a legend. At least he is scoring them cleanly unlike Pele who tripped the defenders to score them.

[soggy biscuit]

Messi is more honest.

You are aware that most football fans in Spain are outraged over how much diving Messi does?

[Simon's Church]

Because he doesn't do it enough?

[Hoop Blah]

Messi is more honest.

You are aware that most football fans in Spain are outraged over how much diving Messi does?

I'd agree he has a history of diving, but not more than most and considering the kicking he takes he gets on with it commendably well really. What makes you think that most Spanish fans are outraged at his diving though? I've not seen anything to support that (but don't follow it that closely so it's a genuine question).

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

i mean look at cronaldo.. hes playing for cack team but still bangs in like 30 goals a season

Real Madrid, currently 6 points clear of Barcelona in La Liga, are "cack"?