Genius - 34 Messi Magic Moments

He never managed to work his way out of Kirk Broadfoot's back dip. A decent claim to fame that.
 
Keilso said:
Someone once said "When defining genius, it's also important to realise this is a status that is never fully reached. Instead, it is something to aspire to."

But surely this guy has.

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Great player, but some of the commentating would make you puke
 
Keilso said:
Someone once said "When defining genius, it's also important to realise this is a status that is never fully reached. Instead, it is something to aspire to."

But surely this guy has.

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The best player I have ever seen attending a football match
 
Both different types of players, both have absurd stats, both achieved great things. I suppose it comes down to which you prefer to watch.

Messi for me.
 
Bulletproof said:
It's called a opinion bud. Some folks are Messi some Ronaldo. Doesn't make them right or wrong. For the record it's got to be Ronaldo though. He has has done it in a few different leagues and internationally. Not much in it though.
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Standing on the touchline scratching yer arse while your mates win a Euro Final is what really defines greatness
 
kilwinningbear said:
For me you could put Ronaldo at centre-half, right back or centre mid and he would still be in the reckoning for best player in the world. He is just the complete footballer.

Messi is just untouchable as a forward.

Messi is the best at what he does. Ronaldo is the best at what everyone does.
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Wind up? I’ve never seen Ronaldo play in goal, defence, midfield, or operate as a playmaker. I’ve seen Messi play as a 9, a false 9, a wide forward, a number 10 and a centre mid. That’s what you can do when you can dribble, pass and finish better than anyone out there. The rapist is more a goal poacher than anything.
 
Bulletproof said:
And Messi has driven Argentina to greatness?
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Thing is, I never said he had, you did however cite Ronaldo having a Euro medal as some sort of sign of superiority despite playing like a diddy in half the games at the tournament and watching the final from the sidelines.
 
He’s a genius without parallel in my time watching football.

Huge admiration for Ronaldo but he isn’t close to Messi
 
Danger Zone said:
Thing is, I never said he had, you did however cite Ronaldo having a Euro medal as some sort of sign of superiority despite playing like a diddy in half the games at the tournament and watching the final from the sidelines.
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It looks like we've reach an impasse. I'm not going to lose much sleep because folks reckon Messi is better. We will just have to agree that both are no bad.
 
Teddyjohn said:
He captained them to a World Cup final (and won player of the tournament), and also led them to three Copa America finals. Granted he’s never lifted a trophy with Argentina but the notion from some that he hasn’t done it at international level is just nonsense.
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He’s never had the luxury of having his team mates step up. CR7’s stood on the sidelines scratching his bollocks as the rest of the squad bagged him a Euro medal, and he’s had Bale, Benzema and Ramos dig him out of a few no shows in CL finals too.
 
Bulletproof said:
It looks like we've reach an impasse. I'm not going to lose much sleep because folks reckon Messi is better. We will just have to agree that both are no bad.
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Sure mate, you’re entitled to your opinion. I’m just saying I don’t think him watching his team mates win a Euro Final gives him any sort of edge.
 
Teddyjohn said:
He captained them to a World Cup final (and won player of the tournament), and also led them to three Copa America finals. Granted he’s never lifted a trophy with Argentina but the notion from some that he hasn’t done it at international level is just nonsense.
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Messi v Ronaldo was on the agenda for me yesterday bud, I've moved on now. There both good.
 
Danger Zone said:
Sure mate, you’re entitled to your opinion. I’m just saying I don’t think him watching his team mates win a Euro Final gives him any sort of edge.
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He got runner up in the golden boot so it wasn't exactly like he was a passenger in the tournament.
 
Messi is not just a phenomenal goal scorer but a phenomenal playmaker. His passing ability and vision is superior to CR7. I saw an article not too long ago where they looked at how accurate his passing has been over the years and it came to the conclusion that he is one of the greatest passers of a football ever seen.

His dribbling ability is also vastly superior to CR7. He beats far more players it isn't even close.

Messi makes more incisive defence splitting passes, creates more openings and goal scoring chances and dribbles past more opponents compared to CR7.
 
Teddyjohn said:
He captained them to a World Cup final (and won player of the tournament), and also led them to three Copa America finals. Granted he’s never lifted a trophy with Argentina but the notion from some that he hasn’t done it at international level is just nonsense.
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If higuain hadn't been an absolute shithouse in that final messi would have a winners medal he cant help that a team mate was a liability.
 
Messi is a genius with the ball at his feat, whereas Ronaldo is not, he's just incredibly good, who is the Greatest? Depends how u personally define great.

When Ronaldinio was at his absolute peak he was footballing genius wise the equal of Messi but Ronaldo is definitely above Ronaldiniho in terms of greatness.

Messi or Maradonna for me.
 
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GovanBlueNose said:
Messi is not just a phenomenal goal scorer but a phenomenal playmaker. His passing ability and vision is superior to CR7. I saw an article not too long ago where they looked at how accurate his passing has been over the years and it came to the conclusion that he is one of the greatest passers of a football ever seen.

His dribbling ability is also vastly superior to CR7. He beats far more players it isn't even close.

Messi makes more incisive defence splitting passes, creates more openings and goal scoring chances and dribbles past more opponents compared to CR7.
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Both are incredible goal scorers, however Messi could have a ''relatively'' lean season say 20 goals and still be player of the year material. To illustrate my point the 20 goals per season mark was what players like Cruyff and Maradonna hit, two players I had the great priviledge of seeing in the flesh.
 
BatterBlatterPatter said:
Messi is a genius with the ball at his feat, whereas Ronaldo is not, he's just incredibly good, who is the Greatest? Depends how u personally define great.

When Ronaldinio was at his absolute peak he was footballing genius wise the equal of Messi but Ronaldo is definitely above Ronaldiniho in terms of greatness.

Messi or Maradonna for me.
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Yeah. Those 2 are the best I've ever seen.

It's interesting listening to someone like Gary Lineker who wrote a piece on the BBC website about why he now considers Messi to be the GOAT.

For years his opinion was that Maradona was the best he'd ever seen. He never thought he would see a better player in his life time.

Graeme Souness is another who believes Messi has overtaken Maradona as the GOAT.
 
To me, if you work hard enough, pratice enough there's a chance you can replicate what Ronaldo can do, may not be to the same level but it can be trained into a player with a high level of natural talent, with messi however, you can train till the cows come home, and you'll not be able to do what Messi can do with a football,the control, the manipulation he has cannot be taught, you're born with it, which to me is the key difference, and why I put Messi's footballing skills way above Ronaldo's
 
Teddyjohn said:
He captained them to a World Cup final (and won player of the tournament), and also led them to three Copa America finals. Granted he’s never lifted a trophy with Argentina but the notion from some that he hasn’t done it at international level is just nonsense.
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The difference is Maradona had Jorge Valdano and Jorge Burruchaga and Messi had Higuian.

You can't win it by yourself. No matter what people say Maradona didn't either.
 
I’d say Maradona was the greatest ever but it’s just an opinion.While messi is a great footballer I still think he’s a wee diving wank at times.
 
I think Messi is the greatest ever, although if there was 2 minutes left and a goal was needed I’d maybe go for Maradona. I’m surprised no one has mentioned Gascogne yet. Pre-injury he was up there with anyone. Two-footed, unbelievable vision, finishing and strength. Might have rivalled Messi if it wasn’t for that crazy tackle.
 
Best of his era by a country mile such a shame the players around him for his country let him down on the international stage.
 
Easily the best footballer I’ve ever seen in the flesh. How long until we see the likes again?
 
Bulletproof said:
It's called a opinion bud. Some folks are Messi some Ronaldo. Doesn't make them right or wrong. For the record it's got to be Ronaldo though. He has has done it in a few different leagues and internationally. Not much in it though.
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Jeez, I remember a few years back when people were talking about Messi v Ronaldo and people would say that Messi hadn’t done it on a ‘wet Wednesday night in Stoke’.

I also think the international argument is guff, if that’s the barometer of being the best players no one that’s not from a top country can ever be the best player. Garbage.

For me, regardless of not hitting the heights of a wet Wednesday in Stoke Messi is the greatest I have ever seen. I think Ronaldo is amazing too and think we are lucky to see two players of that standard play at the same time.
 
I’ve never entered into the versus debate. It’s moronic when you can just enjoy the sheer brilliance of both over such an elongated period that NO ONE, before them, even came close to.

I could watch Messi play football forever and never get bored. A true artist.
 
Ronaldo scores lots and lots and lots of goals that most players score. He is a beast. Messi scores goals that only he can score. Apart from Pele i have seen every top player live since 1970 and Messi eclipses all.
 
I normally say the same things in these debates.

You can say Ronaldo possibly has more to his game. Scores with both feet, weak foot from 30 yards etc no bother. Bigger, faster, stronger, much better in the air. The perfect physical specimen.
But Messi, the touch, the vision, the close control, dribbling, through balls, solo goals, the things he does are just that little bit harder to do.
I honestly don't like saying Messi is better than Ronaldo because Ronaldo has pushed himself to the absolute limits to compete and perform the way he has, but Messi is just magical, and I don't think we'll see a better player in my lifetime.
Just as an aside, my dad and nephew went to see Barca v Dortmund last year, and my dad just said the whole game revolved around him.
Think he set up one for Suarez that was chopped off with a beautiful through ball, set up Suarez for the opener with another through ball, scored the second himself with a lovely one two and finish, set up Griezmann for the third with another exquisite through ball, and then hit the bar with a free kick.
My dad is firmly in the Ronaldo camp as in who he favours, but he's in no doubt that Messi is the greatest player he's seen in the flesh, and probably the greatest he's ever seen.
He's 79 years old, and has seen Puskas, Di Stefano, Eusebio etc and every player since.

I think it's ok to prefer Ronaldo, but to say he's better than Messi, I don't think I can go there.

Dutch guy I work with who prefers Ronaldo made a good point to me last week, think it was discussed on Dutch TV, and someone said "If you asked an engineer to build you a footballer, he'd build you Ronaldo, and if you asked an artist to create a footballer, he'd create Messi" or words to that effect. Probably a fair description.
 
Mearns Ranger said:
I normally say the same things in these debates.

You can say Ronaldo possibly has more to his game. Scores with both feet, weak foot from 30 yards etc no bother. Bigger, faster, stronger, much better in the air. The perfect physical specimen.
But Messi, the touch, the vision, the close control, dribbling, through balls, solo goals, the things he does are just that little bit harder to do.
I honestly don't like saying Messi is better than Ronaldo because Ronaldo has pushed himself to the absolute limits to compete and perform the way he has, but Messi is just magical, and I don't think we'll see a better player in my lifetime.
Just as an aside, my dad and nephew went to see Barca v Dortmund last year, and my dad just said the whole game revolved around him.
Think he set up one for Suarez that was chopped off with a beautiful through ball, set up Suarez for the opener with another through ball, scored the second himself with a lovely one two and finish, set up Griezmann for the third with another exquisite through ball, and then hit the bar with a free kick.
My dad is firmly in the Ronaldo camp as in who he favours, but he's in no doubt that Messi is the greatest player he's seen in the flesh, and probably the greatest he's ever seen.
He's 79 years old, and has seen Puskas, Di Stefano, Eusebio etc and every player since.

I think it's ok to prefer Ronaldo, but to say he's better than Messi, I don't think I can go there.

Dutch guy I work with who prefers Ronaldo made a good point to me last week, think it was discussed on Dutch TV, and someone said "If you asked an engineer to build you a footballer, he'd build you Ronaldo, and if you asked an artist to create a footballer, he'd create Messi" or words to that effect. Probably a fair description.
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I’d agree with the majority of that. But Messi’s creative game is so far ahead of Ronaldo’s that’s what makes it an easy decision for me personally, and I’m guessing many others. These compilations of his passing would probably cause most folks jaws to drop if that was all he offered and you never had all the goals to go with it.

I’m just glad I was around to see them both compete in the same era because it’s been brilliant for football.
 
Danger Zone said:
Saw this earlier. Some of the passes in there are ridiculous to be honest - the pass at 1:03, ‘kin hell. Also makes you realise how utterly wasteful Suarez has been in recent years.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1288163515593658368
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His vision is unbelievable, but the weight of pass is always absolutely perfect. Zipped, chipped, curled, stroked, they all just go where they are supposed to all the time.
He is an absolute joy to watch every single time.
 
Danger Zone said:
Saw this earlier. Some of the passes in there are ridiculous to be honest - the pass at 1:03, ‘kin hell. Also makes you realise how utterly wasteful Suarez has been in recent years.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1288163515593658368
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Seen Gary lineker saying a few weeks ago that he thinks Messi is the best passer of a ball he’s ever seen and I tend to agree with him tbh some of the passes he makes are unreal.
 
Danger Zone said:
I’d agree with the majority of that. But Messi’s creative game is so far ahead of Ronaldo’s that’s what makes it an easy decision for me personally, and I’m guessing many others. These compilations of his passing would probably cause most folks jaws to drop if that was all he offered and you never had all the goals to go with it.

I’m just glad I was around to see them both compete in the same era because it’s been brilliant for football.
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He's amazing mate. It's actually a crying shame to think he's probably gonna start to decline as a player in the next few years.
I think the decline in Ronaldo's game has been obvious over the last few years, but his change in position and what he offers in a game have slightly hidden it, at least for some.
I still think Messi is the best player in the world, even although the new breed are coming through and guys like Mbappe and Neymar etc will probably be fighting out the Ballon D'Ors in the coming years.
I think I'll try to get to a Barca game next season, if we can ever fucking go back to the football again, as seeing him as the absolute best won't be an option forever.
 
I don't get the Messi hasn't done it in another league crowd.

Have you not seen him against the best English sides imagine him against the dross.

The first time I saw Messi was when he was a teenager against Mourinho dominant Chelsea team at Stamford Bridge.

He was the best player on the pitch in a team that contains a peak Ronaldinho.

The unbeatable EPL champions getting mugged off repeatedly by an 18 year old.
 
Mearns Ranger said:
He's amazing mate. It's actually a crying shame to think he's probably gonna start to decline as a player in the next few years.
I think the decline in Ronaldo's game has been obvious over the last few years, but his change in position and what he offers in a game have slightly hidden it, at least for some.
I still think Messi is the best player in the world, even although the new breed are coming through and guys like Mbappe and Neymar etc will probably be fighting out the Ballon D'Ors in the coming years.
I think I'll try to get to a Barca game next season, if we can ever fucking go back to the football again, as seeing him as the absolute best won't be an option forever.
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It is indeed, he’s already lost his explosive acceleration which is why you don’t see him taking teams on runs from the halfway line anymore. Too bad they have to get old.

I knew Ronaldo would end up playing as a centre forward, you could see it coming a mile away. When you’re that good a finisher, you’ve got the movement and you’re far and away the best header of a ball in the world it was always going to be the natural adaptation he’d make. It’ll be a sad day when both players are gone, and as tedious as the “vs” debates can be, they’ve been great for a laugh at times too.
 
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