Messi is out of this world

What Maradona did at Napoli, was out of this world.

Didn't think Messi was great last night.

A masterclass in finishing but like Arshavin at Anfield, more in awe of him of him actually scoring 4 in such a big match rather than the quality of his performance.

Much prefer watching Zidane or Xavi over the current greats Ronaldo and Messi.

He may not be maradona but hes far greater to watch than anyone since. If anyone is overrated visibly its zidane. Bergkamp was more enjoyable to watch than zidane.

Personal preference really.

Most of the recognised elite players these days are goalscorers.

Messi has the full package tbf, he can contribute in many ways and is head and shoulders above everyone right now. Ronaldo on the other hand is the type of player who is ineffective unless he's hitting the net. Torres likewise and Rooney 2010. Nothing wrong with that as that's their role in the team and they are extremely effective and consistent.

Just not players I'd pay to watch.

Torres, Rooney, Drogba, ronaldo, Adebayor, Villa, Tevez etc are all good strikers but are not entertaining or out of this world footballers.

Thing about Messi is, he don't use any tricks, no step overs, no fakes and everything. Its just pure skill and dribble. Thats fking scary for me. Its a wonder how anybody can be as good as him.

Anyone who have him in their team is like +5 players.

Real are going to kick the **** out of him, if they end up with anything less than 8 players on yellows from systematically fouling Messi I'd be surprised.

Real are going to kick the s**t out of him, if they end up with anything less than 8 players on yellows from systematically fouling Messi I'd be surprised.

Big time. Ramos, any of the Diarra's, Pepe you name 'em will probably set out to sort this fella out. They did it last season. Kicked him all over the shop.

Personal preference really.

Most of the recognised elite players these days are goalscorers.

Messi has the full package tbf, he can contribute in many ways and is head and shoulders above everyone right now. Ronaldo on the other hand is the type of player who is ineffective unless he's hitting the net. Torres likewise and Rooney 2010. Nothing wrong with that as that's their role in the team and they are extremely effective and consistent.

Just not players I'd pay to watch.

I'd pay to watch Torres and probably Ronaldo too. Both have a bit of magic to them.

He's no Eboue.

You mean he spends more time practicing how to demolish teams than how to hide Pat Rice's glasses?

He's no Eboue.

You mean he spends more time practicing how to demolish teams than how to hide Pat Rice's glasses?

Geez, you seem like a barrel of laughs.

Lighten the **** up.

From the beeb gossip column:-

AND FINALLY
Brazilian legend Pele, often considered the best player in football history, has offered a retort to those hailing Barcelona forward Lionel Messi as the greatest star to have played the game. The three-time World Cup winner says people should only start drawing comparisons when Messi has equalled his goal tally of over 1,000 career goals. The Argentine took his senior career tally to 133 goals, which includes 42 this season for club and country, with a goal against Real Madrid on Saturday.


you gotta love how Pele counts those goals he scored in the playground as a kid.

He also keep sold people having old people sex, by pushing those lil blue pills!

That's actually Romario. Pele's goals are all legitimate.

That's actually Romario. Pele's goals are all legitimate.

Actually, I believe it's both. Pele includes goals scored in friendlies as well as goals scored for the army whilst on national service.

That's actually Romario. Pele's goals are all legitimate.

Actually, I believe it's both. Pele includes goals scored in friendlies as well as goals scored for the army whilst on national service.

Oh I agree but "playground as a kid" is a slight exaggeration. Besides, my comment was that FIFA recognise Pele's achievement, hence the "legitimate" comment. Romario's isn't recognised by anyone but himself.

He's no Eboue.

You mean he spends more time practicing how to demolish teams than how to hide Pat Rice's glasses?

Did eboue actually do that?
Beats scoring 4 hat tricks in a year.

lol peles full of ****, why does messi need to score goals to prove hes the best?

Maradona > Pele all day and everyday and maradona had less goals.

The viagra must be cutting the blood flow to his head (the one between his years)

Seriously, there is no way Maradona is unequivocally better than Pele. The Brazilian was the most complete player in the history of the game. There is literally nothing he couldn't do. It's mightily close between them and Pele is just as good as the reputation that precedes him. He also scored the greatest ever goal that was never captured on film. There is a re-enactment of it but I doubt it'll go down well with his critics. He is probably the most cheekiest player I've seen on the ball.

R9>>>>Pele.

Everytime a player hits form and is touted as the world's greatest (maybe of all time) he hacks 'em down. Sometimes tongue in cheek, but he has quite the ego. I always thought he was humble, but I suppose compared to Maradona he does come across as the humble one.

Was about a year ago he hacked down R9, Ronaldinho and Robinho, hintin' at drug usage.

This is what Pele did for Franz Beckenbauer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFGoVXtg ... re=related

This is what he did to Eusebio. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAcYr_lkKAE

Pele is called the greatest of all time by many for a reason.

This is what Pele did for Franz Beckenbauer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFGoVXtg ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Ah, but he missed in the end. My Ronaldo would have scored.

This is what he did to Eusebio. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAcYr_lkKAE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pele is called the greatest of all time by many for a reason.

And this is Zidane's favourite bit of skill from R9, which he did to Nesta.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnY88zNO ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lays downs a royal flush to your four of a kind. . Only kiddin'.

That wasn't Nesta.

People need to research what Pele actually achieved in the game because he seriously runs the risk of being hugely underrated in the future if this current footballing generation is anything to go by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_paNh6u ... re=related

This is certainly Maldini. (Fouls Ronnie in my opinion). That was was Nesta, Ibbster.

Nah, it was Almeyda (who wore 25) and Gottardi (who wore 17). Nesta wore 13 and was the only defender that could live with Ronaldo that game.

Ronaldo didn't get past Maldini.

You are right, Ibby. I stand corrected. I was pretty sure the camera focused in on Nesta after that interest at some point. I think Zizou says it was Nesta, aswell.


I adore Maldini, but dirty, dirty Paolo. Cheaky elbow to the face.

Ronaldo skinned Nesta at one point in that game. I pointed it out to Ibby before....

Who cares about Pele, fella was playing against factory workers half the time.....

The Brazilian league was one of the strongest, if not the strongest league in the world at that time. It was the same Brazilian league which produced 3 World Cup winning teams in the space of 12 years (all the players in that team played in Brazil apart from Didi who played for Real Madrid for a very short period).

No two ways about it, and anyone that uses the argument of the strength of the Brazilian league is just being ignorant.

Oh and no Fabo, I specifically remember you telling me that Ronaldo "raped" Nesta on multiple occasions, which turned out to be false.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4dD5ZZd9tA&NR=1

These clips are Ronaldo givin' Nesta a nightmare in the game, and also of Nesta 'dealing' with Ronaldo in not so legal ways, and a couple of good tackles, I'll admit.

Haha, Fabo.

We'll see how Messi fairs in the World Cup. Surely, he'll shine at least a couple of times provided he is fit.

No need to worry about Pele's legacy.....every man and his dog seems to acknowledge that Pele and Maradona were on a different plane to everyone else.

Don't really buy into all that myself though, mainly because I've not seen enough of Pele bar a few WC's that looked like amateur level football! Defending wasn't big in the 60's apparently....