Vapotrini wrote:lol... Thanks for the laugh! Now we're comparing Higuain to Maradona because of statistics. Amazing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w21dkqtBwXk

Yes, let's compare a striker to a midfielder and talk about who is better.

Rank stupidity.

No one has ever been better. Not Messi, not either Ronaldo, not Ronaldihno, not Zidane and not Pele, no one.

Sorry you missed him, but you did.

I didn't want to be offensive so I didn't say it, but since you did I have to concur, no player was/is better than Diego Maradona. Not Messi or the Ronaldo currently playing and certainly not Higuain. I can only put Pele, Cruyff as close and maybe Ronaldo, the real one, before his injuries while at Inter. Can't think of others at the moment.

Having had the pleasure to watch Maradona in Serie A and the 1990 WC in person I have yet to see a player with a better combination of skills, speed and football intelligence (not life brains of course).

Even the Domenico Criscito quote ffs

the fanboys in GL is off the charts. have we ever had this many player fanboys at the same time?
i feel people here rather support their favorite player than the club they play for these days

You can argue Messi vs Maradona back and forth all you want, but Higuain vs Maradona...

I really don't get how anyone can really say that anyone is better than Messi as a player.

Exactly, we are way past the point where it was arguable.

Have fun arguing Cruyff, Maradona, and Pele as much as you want because legit cases could be made all around but Messi transcends everyone.

Don't call me James wrote:Exactly, we are way past the point where it was arguable.

Have fun arguing Cruyff, Maradona, and Pele as much as you want because legit cases could be made all around but Messi transcends everyone.

Stop pushing your opinion as a fact. It is still very debatable.

I still think Pele is the GOAT.

I'm not pushing my opinion as a fact. I was largely a Messi hater for most of his early career. His position has become as close to a fact as possibly in this sport in terms of ranking individuals whether you like it or not. And this is NOT just coming from me, greater men than me have made the same claim.

Don't call me James wrote:I'm not pushing my opinion as a fact. I was largely a Messi hater for most of his early career. His position has become as close to a fact as possibly in this sport in terms of ranking individuals whether you like it or not. And this is NOT just coming from me, greater men than me have made the same claim.

Just saying it does not make it true. Overall he still had a disappointing career on NT. Pele, Maradona and Cruyff all were better for their national teams. And yes that does matter a lot.

“For me, it is always Maradona,” said Pochettino. "I am sorry Messi. I love Messi, but for me, it is always Maradona."

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/440798/Mauricio-Pochettino-Diego-Maradona-was-better-than-Lionel-Messi-was-like-god

Updated statistics. Three consecutive wins for Napoli, Higuain scoring the first goal in every game.

Thanks for including Mahrez. Appreciate the back up

Don't call me James wrote:I'm not pushing my opinion as a fact. I was largely a Messi hater for most of his early career. His position has become as close to a fact as possibly in this sport in terms of ranking individuals whether you like it or not. And this is NOT just coming from me, greater men than me have made the same claim.

Yeah but Messi is still an active player today and Pele is long gone. Not saying Messi isn't better and the argument that football nowadays is more professional is legit but over time both will be long retired players and at the point when both will be seen as legends from the past it'll be interesting to see if Messi will still be seen as superior/greater.

Wait, we haven't gotten past the "Messi doesn't perform for his NT" argument yet? Or, rather, that he hasn't had a "great NT career"?

Because Messi's performances for Argentina have been consistently great over the course of his career. I'll agree the trophies haven't always followed (though he got to the final of CA, WC), but if anyone had watched the games, you wouldn't have held it against Messi.

To the scrubs that say that Higuain is in any way carrying Napoli more than Maradona without even watching the games.

Since Higuain got banned and Gabbiadini is starting, Gabbiadini has 3 goals in less than 3 matches. Overall he has 9 goals and 3 assists in just short of 900 minutes. Napoli is just good, the team is set up to shine and feed the striker.

It's not like Gabbiadini is a scrub though, he is more than competent and is probably the best striker Italy have. He's just unfortunate to play in the same team as Higgy.

Gabbiadini is great, but just like Higuain, he ain't doing more for Napoli than Maradona.

The comparison was ridiculous to start with.

rincon wrote:Gabbiadini is great, but just like Higuain, he ain't doing more for Napoli than Maradona.

Of course, only 1 person in this entire forum thinks otherwise

Spent 30 minutes watching that vid Vapo posted and I really don't regret it. What I really appreciate about Maradona is his inventiveness on the ball. There is so much spontaneity and accuracy in his passes that goes incredibly well with the man's skill, strength and directness with the ball. I honestly envy guys like Vapo, Sports, my own old man for getting to see this amazing footballer kick a stupid ball.

Also, just to remind the OP, Maradona won 2 Scudettos, Higuain got man handled by Zapata while in 2nd place.

I got to see him live because TV back then didn't show crap...  nothing was covered.  As much as our schedule allowed, my dad and I went to Turin to watch Juve via train.  But Maradona was so special, we would catch him whenever Napoli played Sampdoria, Torino and a scrub team who made it up now and then like Como.  Basically, anywhere we could reach via train.

Some of the best memories of my life in those years.  

He was no Platini, but Maradona was pretty good

Btw, another great player that nobody talks about anymore was Altobelli. Played for hated Inter... but could he ever play. Paolo Rossi got all the headlines because he got crazy hot in WC 1982 that won it for Italy. But Altobelli was a much better player imo and he wasn't shabby either in 1982.