Re: The Lionel Messi Appreciation Thread & Fan Club III

[Harmonica]

At age 28 Messi becomes the top scorer of Argentina senior national team (official goals)

54 Messi
54 Batistuta
35 Crespo
34 Maradona
33 Aguero

If you add U20, U23 goals, it's 67 compared to 54.

[Harmonica]

Added Ronaldo.

Goals Against Period Top 4

Note: Period top 4, finished positions in Argentinian, Brazilian, Dutch, French, German, English, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish national leagues)
Note: Pele's national competitions, Taca Brazil 59-66, Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa 67-70, Brasileiro Serie A 71-74
Note: Includes cup and reagional league goals against period national league top 4
Note: Official games

104 Messi (04-16, 149 games, 0,70 gpg)
98 C.Ronaldo (02-16, 184 games, 0,53 gpg)
71 Romario (85-07, 149 games, 0,48 gpg)
62 Pele (59-74, 103 games, 0,60 gpg)
59 G.Müller (65-79, 114 games, 0,52 gpg)
46 Ronaldo (93-11, 95 games, 0,48 gpg)

[Sushi Master]

At age 28 Messi becomes the top scorer of Argentina senior national team (official goals)

54 Messi
54 Batistuta
35 Crespo
34 Maradona
33 Aguero

If you add U20, U23 goals, it's 67 compared to 54.

This is actually a very good achievement. When he's eventually top scorer people would stop on rambling about him being shit for the NT.

[Harmonica]

At age 28 Messi becomes the top scorer of Argentina senior national team (official goals)

54 Messi
54 Batistuta
35 Crespo
34 Maradona
33 Aguero

If you add U20, U23 goals, it's 67 compared to 54.

This is actually a very good achievement. When he's eventually top scorer people would stop on rambling about him being shit for the NT.

That's for just people who think such things. Then again it's probably a big lot of casuals who think scoring goals is performing.

Messi has already most MoM performance's of modern (00'-) era in major nt-tournaments, and only Pele (2), Ronaldo (2), Zidane (2) and Nasazzi (3) has major nt-tournament best player performances as many as Messi (2), including the World Cup Golden Ball.

[BarrileteCosmico]

The issue with that stat is that Batigol scored more goals in competitions & qualifiers than Messi. I know friendlies are considered "official" but if we were to take them out of the equation Messi would still have some catching up to do

[Harmonica]

The issue with that stat is that Batigol scored more goals in competitions & qualifiers than Messi. I know friendlies are considered "official" but if we were to take them out of the equation Messi would still have some catching up to do

Then again Messi is a playmaker and Batigol was a striker, these comparisons are always compromises. And nt-friendlies do count towards Fifa ranking and World Cup draws.

[Harmonica]

[Kebab]

all 55 goals for Argentina

[Harmonica]

After CA16 SF, 4 (1 + 2 + 1) / 4.

Major tournament sf and final matches (WC, EU/CA, EC/CL)

Goals (Scored + Assisted + Involved)

Messi 29 (8 + 9 + 12) out of 34 team goals in 23 games = 85% importance (+ 2 SO goals)
Maradona 5 (2 + 1 + 2) out of 6 team goals in 5 games = 83% importance (+1 SO goal)
Platini 13 (6 (3p) + 4 + 3) put of 16 team goals in 10 games = 81% importance (+1 SO goal)
Pele 21 (13 (1p) + 6 + 2) out of 30 team goals in 9 games = 70% importance
G.Müller 21 (18 + 0 + 3) out of 32 team goals in 16 games = 66% importance
Zidane 22 (10 (3p) + 5 + 7) out of 35 team goals in 20 games = 63% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
C.Ronaldo 18 (13 (3p) + 4 + 1) out of 32 team goals in 26 games = 56% importance (+ 1 SO goal and 2 SO misses)
Romario 6 (3 + 0 + 3) out of 11 team goals in 5 games = 55% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Eusebio 8 (7 (2p) + 1 + 0) out of 15 team goals in 12 games = 53% importance
Ronaldo 11 (7 + 2 + 2) out of 22 team goals in 10 games = 50% importance
Iniesta 14 (3 + 5 + 6) out of 30 team goals in 23 games = 47% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Xavi 16 (1 + 7 + 8 ) out of 35 team goals in 25 games = 46% importance
Cruyff 8 (3 + 2 + 3) out of 18 team goals in 14 games = 44% importance

Note: missing Pele CL65 SF where he at least scored 3 goals of 8 in 3 games
Note: missing Eusebio EC62 SF 1st leg, and EC65 SF where he at least scored 2 goals of 8 in 3 games

[Harmonica]

"Once again waiting on a plane to leave for our destination, what a disaster the AFA are. My god!" - Messi

And the next day:

ICYMI: FIFA quietly took over the Argentine FA today. Will run it, rewrite statutes, hold new election by 2017. http://m.fifa.com/governance/news/y=2016/m=6/news=normalisation-committee-appointed-for-the-argentine-fa-

[Harmonica]

Major tournament sf and final matches (WC, EU/CA, EC/CL)

Goals (Scored + Assisted + Involved)

Messi 29 (8 + 9 + 12) out of 34 team goals in 24 games = 85% importance (+ 2 SO goals and 1 miss)
Maradona 5 (2 + 1 + 2) out of 6 team goals in 5 games = 83% importance (+1 SO goal)
Platini 13 (6 (3p) + 4 + 3) put of 16 team goals in 10 games = 81% importance (+1 SO goal)
Pele 21 (13 (1p) + 6 + 2) out of 30 team goals in 9 games = 70% importance
G.Müller 21 (18 + 0 + 3) out of 32 team goals in 16 games = 66% importance
Zidane 22 (10 (3p) + 5 + 7) out of 35 team goals in 20 games = 63% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
C.Ronaldo 18 (13 (3p) + 4 + 1) out of 32 team goals in 26 games = 56% importance (+ 1 SO goal and 2 misses)
Romario 6 (3 + 0 + 3) out of 11 team goals in 5 games = 55% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Eusebio 8 (7 (2p) + 1 + 0) out of 15 team goals in 12 games = 53% importance
Ronaldo 11 (7 + 2 + 2) out of 22 team goals in 10 games = 50% importance
Iniesta 14 (3 + 5 + 6) out of 30 team goals in 23 games = 47% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Xavi 16 (1 + 7 + out of 35 team goals in 25 games = 46% importance
Cruyff 8 (3 + 2 + 3) out of 18 team goals in 14 games = 44% importance

Note: missing Pele CL65 SF where he at least scored 3 goals of 8 in 3 games
Note: missing Eusebio EC62 SF 1st leg and EC65 SF where he at least scored 2 goals of 8 in 3 games

[Harmonica]

Antonio Pizzi (coach Chile CA16) - "Lionel Messi is the best player of all-time."

[Harmonica]

http://www.squawka.com/news/the-unbearable-weight-of-a-nation-broke-argentina-talisman-lionel-messi/709173

"If Messi can’t carry the weight of his country, his attacking team-mates can’t carry the weight of their own heads. This season Gonzalo Higuain scored more goals in Serie A than any man since the Korean War in the 1950s, but when it came to playing for Argentina he once again crumbled like centuries-old stonework exposed to fresh air.

If this is the third final in three years that Messi has dragged Argentina to, then it is also the third final in three years where Higuain has had a clean one on one chance and not even managed to hit the target. Sergio Aguero, usually so lethal for Manchester City, turned into a timid puppy for Argentina. Angel Di Maria got hurt, again. Because as the only player whose ever shown as much fortitude as Messi, of course he always gets hurt.

So once more Messi stood alone. Carrying the weight of the side on his shoulders. Carrying his cowardly manager Tata Martino, who yet again refused to make attacking changes. Carrying his national federation who are so corrupt that Fifa has stepped in to help them clean up their act – no, seriously. Carrying the expectations of fans who refuse to appreciate him and constantly compare him to two weeks of another man’s life from 30 years ago.

Messi had carried them all so far for so long, in the end even he succumbed to their weight. He could take no more, walk no further. He could no long support them as they failed to support him, hell, he could no longer support himself. He blazed his penalty over the bar. They had finally dragged him down to their level. He retired from international football. They had finally broken the unbreakable."

[LeBéninois]

Much respect for the player he is . He kept his cool the whole tournament even when his mates were missing 1vs1 or losing their cool. He was the rock they relied on but I knew he was under A LOT of pressure when he took that PK. Not surprised that he missed but he's not to blame.
He needs a break, maybe a year and come back one year before the WC. He just can go back trashing teams in meaningless friendlies.

[Harmonica]

Jorge Valdano - "Argentine football doesn't exist. The AFA doesn't exist. Argentine football is Messi."

[Harmonica]

Added Eusebio 1962 SF 1st leg

Major tournament sf and final matches (WC, EU/CA, EC/CL)

Goals (Scored + Assisted + Involved)

Messi 29 (8 + 9 + 12) out of 34 team goals in 24 games = 85% importance (+ 2 SO goals and 1 miss)
Maradona 5 (2 + 1 + 2) out of 6 team goals in 5 games = 83% importance (+1 SO goal)
Platini 13 (6 (3p) + 4 + 3) put of 16 team goals in 10 games = 81% importance (+1 SO goal)
Pele 21 (13 (1p) + 6 + 2) out of 30 team goals in 9 games = 70% importance
G.Müller 21 (18 + 0 + 3) out of 32 team goals in 16 games = 66% importance
Zidane 22 (10 (3p) + 5 + 7) out of 35 team goals in 20 games = 63% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
C.Ronaldo 18 (13 (3p) + 4 + 1) out of 32 team goals in 26 games = 56% importance (+ 1 SO goal and 2 misses)
Eusebio 10 (7 (2p) + 1 + 2) out of 18 team goals in 13 games = 56% importance
Romario 6 (3 + 0 + 3) out of 11 team goals in 5 games = 55% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Ronaldo 11 (7 + 2 + 2) out of 22 team goals in 10 games = 50% importance
Iniesta 14 (3 + 5 + 6) out of 30 team goals in 23 games = 47% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Xavi 16 (1 + 7 + out of 35 team goals in 25 games = 46% importance
Cruyff 8 (3 + 2 + 3) out of 18 team goals in 14 games = 44% importance

Note: missing Pele CL65 SF where he at least scored 3 goals of 8 in 3 games
Note: missing Eusebio EC65 SF where he at least scored 2 goals of 8 in 3 games

[Harmonica]

Apparently Sampaoli is leaving Sevilla to take vacant job at Argentina.

[Thimmy]

http://www.squawka.com/news/the-unbearable-weight-of-a-nation-broke-argentina-talisman-lionel-messi/709173

"He could no long support them as they failed to support him, hell, he could no longer support himself".

Lies. Missi doesn't manage "support". Dad's in charge of such things, not Pionelty Missi. Danger averted

"He blazed his penalty over the bar. They had finally dragged him down to their level."

It all makes sense now. No wonder he missed that penalty

"He retired from international football. They had finally broken the unbreakable."

Again with "they" did this and that. I don't know who "they" are, but retiring from his national team at the age of 29 is not something that would traditionally earn someone the title of "unbreakable"

[Harmonica]

Major tournament sf and final matches (WC, EU/CA, EC/CL)

Goals (Scored + Assisted + Involved)

Messi 29 (8 + 9 + 12) out of 34 team goals in 24 games = 85% importance (+ 2 SO goals and 1 miss)
Maradona 5 (2 + 1 + 2) out of 6 team goals in 5 games = 83% importance (+1 SO goal)
Platini 13 (6 (3p) + 4 + 3) put of 16 team goals in 10 games = 81% importance (+1 SO goal)
Pele 21 (13 (1p) + 6 + 2) out of 30 team goals in 9 games = 70% importance
G.Müller 21 (18 + 0 + 3) out of 32 team goals in 16 games = 66% importance
Zidane 22 (10 (3p) + 5 + 7) out of 35 team goals in 20 games = 63% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
C.Ronaldo 20 (14 (3p) + 5 + 1) out of 34 team goals in 27 games = 59% importance (+ 1 SO goal and 2 misses)
Eusebio 10 (7 (2p) + 1 + 2) out of 18 team goals in 13 games = 56% importance
Romario 6 (3 + 0 + 3) out of 11 team goals in 5 games = 55% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Ronaldo 11 (7 + 2 + 2) out of 22 team goals in 10 games = 50% importance
Iniesta 14 (3 + 5 + 6) out of 30 team goals in 23 games = 47% importance (+ 1 SO goal)
Xavi 16 (1 + 7 + 8 ) out of 35 team goals in 25 games = 46% importance
Cruyff 8 (3 + 2 + 3) out of 18 team goals in 14 games = 44% importance

Note: missing Pele CL65 SF where he at least scored 3 goals of 8 in 3 games
Note: missing Eusebio EC65 SF where he at least scored 2 goals of 8 in 3 games

















Chips, long shots, weak foot, header, freekick, dribble goals. Defining complete.

[Harmonica]

Lionel Messi's retirement could cost Argentina's team millions

Lionel Messi could cost Argentina's national soccer team tens of millions of dollars.

Messi, regarded as the best player in the world, indicated he would quit after a heartbreaking loss in the Copa America final -- Messi's fourth loss in the finals. Although some believe Messi, 29, will come back, his departure would be costly for Argentina's team.

It's not the only grim news surrounding Messi. On Wednesday, a Spanish court sentenced him to a 21-month prison term for tax evasion -- although he won't spend any time behind bars.

Still, Argentina's Football Association, or AFA, must contemplate life without Messi. It would be expensive.

"If Messi does not return to the Argentine team, AFA will lose $20 to $25 million, perhaps even more, from now until the 2018 World Cup", says Guillermo Tofoni, a FIFA match organizer.

The losses would be even higher when calculated through the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Messi was expected to stay on the team until then.

Tofoni said countries like Italy, Spain and China have already been calling him since Messi's announcement, wanting to renegotiate payment terms.

Russia says it would reduce the amount paid to Argentina by $1 million for their next friendly game in June 2017 if Messi did not return, Tofoni claims.

Argentina gets paid up to $2 million to play a friendly game with Messi on the roster.

"If we speak about the potential to play with Messi or without Messi, it would be a 35% smaller payment for the national team, with a potential to get to 50% loss," says Javier Medin, Argentina's representative at the South American Football Lawyers Association.

That doesn't include losses from other AFA business streams -- including ticket sales, broadcast rights and sponsorships.

AFA declined to comment for this article. Many Argentines, including President Mauricio Macri, have pleaded with Messi to come back. Subway stations and bus stops in Buenos Aires, the capital, have the sign #NoTeVayasLio or "Don't go Lio."

Argentina is currently set to play 28 friendly games before 2022, according to Tofoni, who expects no new bookings if Messi is absent.

Among those games are 16 scheduled to be played at home.

Tofoni anticipates a $1 million loss just in ticket sales for each home game if Messi is not a part of the team. This would amount to $16 million until 2022 Qatar World cup.

If Messi can't fix AFA nothing will.

[Harmonica]

Messi - "I've been doing extra free-kick training for a while now. I'm practising every time I can."

With a pit of training Messi conquers yet another frontier.

Most fk goals in 15-16

9 Messi
7 Payet
7 Pjanic
6 Willian

I don't remember anyone scoring 9 free kicks in a season, in modern football.

[farfan]

Juninho scored 9 in 2004-2005 and 10 in 2005-2006 .

Much much better conversion rate too .

[Harmonica]

Juninho scored 9 in 2004-2005 and 10 in 2005-2006 .

Much much  better conversion  rate too .

Yeah, you've to go at least that far to find those.

Hoojidonk apparently scored 14 in 01-02, could be the most ever in a season.

[Harmonica]

Juninho scored 9 in 2004-2005 and 10 in 2005-2006 .

Much much better conversion rate too .

Btw, can you post the conversion ratios?

[Harmonica]

Goals against Top 5 SA/Euro nations (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Chile, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, England)

15 Messi
11 Suarez
9 Neymar
2 Benzema
1 Bale
1 Cronaldo

[Harmonica]

Added Zlatan.

Goals against Top 5 SA/Euro nations (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Chile, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, England)

15 Messi (playmaker)
11 Suarez (striker)
9 Zlatan (striker)
9 Neymar (playmaker)
2 Benzema (striker)
1 Bale (playmaker)
1 Cronaldo (striker)

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