Messi: it's not even close.

Maradona would simply be the Argentine Ravel Morrison. He wouldn't have the professionalism for the modern game.

People who are obsessed with stats and would spend all night posting percentages and expected goals etc etc on websites would pick Messi

People who pay good money to go to football matches to be entertained would pick Maradona

Both were fantastic 21 year olds. Probably edging towards Maradona.

comment by Bobby Dazzler (U1449)
posted 36 seconds ago
People who are obsessed with stats and would spend all night posting percentages and expected goals etc etc on websites would pick Messi

People who pay good money to go to football matches to be entertained would pick Maradona
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If you were a manager and could pick one, would you go for "safe" Messi or the massive risk that would be Maradona?

I can't fully explain why but in this Chelsea team Maradona walks into it and would (IMO) suit our league better.

comment by Bobby Dazzler (U1449)
posted 1 minute ago
People who are obsessed with stats and would spend all night posting percentages and expected goals etc etc on websites would pick Messi

People who pay good money to go to football matches to be entertained would pick Maradona
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Yes that dull, boring peak Messi.

comment by Bobby Dazzler (U1449)
posted 1 minute ago
People who are obsessed with stats and would spend all night posting percentages and expected goals etc etc on websites would pick Messi

People who pay good money to go to football matches to be entertained would pick Maradona
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I take it you never watched 21 year old Messi?

comment by Bobby Dazzler (U1449)
posted 2 minutes ago
People who are obsessed with stats and would spend all night posting percentages and expected goals etc etc on websites would pick Messi

People who pay good money to go to football matches to be entertained would pick Maradona
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They’re picking a 21 year old Messi over him not some stat merchant.

I'd go Messi but I've never seen anyone do in a football tournament what Maradona did in Mexico in 86. They really were a one man team. He was something else. I can only imagine what he'd do with today's protection from refs on current pitches. My god, he'd be frightening.

I never thought I'd see anyone surpass him and no one had until Messi came along. For me, he's indisputably the greatest of all time. Anyone that pipes up with Ronaldo as an answer just doesn't understand football. It's more than just numbers, of which Messi is with him anyway. It's ballet, grace and beauty. I loved watching Maradona play. I love watching Messi play but because we know Messi isn't going self-destruct and his goalscoring numbers would be greater than Maradona's, it has to be him.

Messi absolutely destroyed us on those finals. That barca team made us look like a drunken fat Sunday league team. I’d pick messi, more of a modern player, but maradona was amazing.

No right or wrong answer, of course, both amazing players... It would be very interesting to see Maradona's natural talent in the modern game though. That said, a peak Messi would almost guarantee titles over the next few seasons.

Messi pretty comfortably. You’d get 15 years of the gratest ever.

I’m too young to have seen Maradona but it’s hard to believe he was even close to Messi.

Bobby Dazzler’s had a mare here

comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 32 seconds ago
I’m too young to have seen Maradona but it’s hard to believe he was even close to Messi.
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He was. He just didn't have the same level of exposure. No Champions League to watch then. In his absolute prime, there's very little between them. Problem is that his prime didn't last long because of all his off field problems. Very much in the George Best mould on that front.

comment by Randomer (U5245)
posted 9 seconds ago
Bobby Dazzler’s had a mare here
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It’s about opinions, no doubting yours

comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 45 seconds ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 32 seconds ago
I’m too young to have seen Maradona but it’s hard to believe he was even close to Messi.
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He was. He just didn't have the same level of exposure. No Champions League to watch then. In his absolute prime, there's very little between them. Problem is that his prime didn't last long because of all his off field problems. Very much in the George Best mould on that front.
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I know stats aren’t everything but football is about goals and winning. Maradona’s stats don’t even scratch the surface of Messi’s. Different era’s, different team mates etc. but I doubt there was ever a player who could replicate Messi’s stats in the modern era.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nPvzAxgoVEk

Messi has been amazing. I was interested in how career would go ever since, I watched him be what I believed was the standout player against my team at the Bridge in 2006.

I just have this feeling in the back of my head that 21 year old Maradona, would be able to carry my team. In the way that Hazard could, yes I admit he did. I don't know if I'm convinced Messi could.

And I get, how stupidly baffling that comment is....

Messi was far more exciting to watch as a 21 year old playing out on the right. 2012 onwards he became more efficient but less exciting, playing through the middle. Probably a lot to do with keeping up with Ronaldo goal wise. Without the Ronaldo rivalry he wouldn't have the same number of goals but could have been more exciting. We would have got a lot more of the wonder goals beating 40 players.

comment by #4zA accide cchiu a lengua ca a spata - 🇮🇹🇺🇦 (U22472)
posted 33 seconds ago
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nPvzAxgoVEk

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It’s literally the only way teams could deal with him

Maradona.

comment by Brian Easton (U1734)
posted 8 minutes ago
Messi was far more exciting to watch as a 21 year old playing out on the right. 2012 onwards he became more efficient but less exciting, playing through the middle. Probably a lot to do with keeping up with Ronaldo goal wise. Without the Ronaldo rivalry he wouldn't have the same number of goals but could have been more exciting. We would have got a lot more of the wonder goals beating 40 players.
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Grate commennet

I think the Messi-Ronaldo rivslry pushed em on too grate golscoring records butt tooked a lotta the fantasy away from Messi’s play

comment by Bobby Dazzler (U1449)
posted 28 minutes ago
People who are obsessed with stats and would spend all night posting percentages and expected goals etc etc on websites would pick Messi

People who pay good money to go to football matches to be entertained would pick Maradona
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Assuming you didn’t watch Messi through the years, the guy was insane on a weekly basis

comment by #4zA accide cchiu a lengua ca a spata - 🇮🇹🇺🇦 (U22472)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Brian Easton (U1734)
posted 8 minutes ago
Messi was far more exciting to watch as a 21 year old playing out on the right. 2012 onwards he became more efficient but less exciting, playing through the middle. Probably a lot to do with keeping up with Ronaldo goal wise. Without the Ronaldo rivalry he wouldn't have the same number of goals but could have been more exciting. We would have got a lot more of the wonder goals beating 40 players.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Grate commennet

I think the Messi-Ronaldo rivslry pushed em on too grate golscoring records butt tooked a lotta the fantasy away from Messi’s play
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I think the same is true of Ronaldo. He used to be really entertaining.

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by #4zA accide cchiu a lengua ca a spata - 🇮🇹🇺🇦 (U22472)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Brian Easton (U1734)
posted 8 minutes ago
Messi was far more exciting to watch as a 21 year old playing out on the right. 2012 onwards he became more efficient but less exciting, playing through the middle. Probably a lot to do with keeping up with Ronaldo goal wise. Without the Ronaldo rivalry he wouldn't have the same number of goals but could have been more exciting. We would have got a lot more of the wonder goals beating 40 players.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Grate commennet

I think the Messi-Ronaldo rivslry pushed em on too grate golscoring records butt tooked a lotta the fantasy away from Messi’s play
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think the same is true of Ronaldo. He used to be really entertaining.
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Yeah but he stared it he made it about goals