THFCSPURS19
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I saw this on Facebook earlier. Absolutely incredible:
Lionel Messi- The Record Breaker
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Still feel something is missing from the elite all time level having not inspired his national team to a World Cup win - I really thought this year would be his time (I bet on him to be top scoring with them winning outright so probably jinxed both)
Fantastic player, the stats don't lie here
Fantastic player, the stats don't lie here
I'm torn here. He's a fantastic player, yes and one of the greatest, if not the greatest, to ever play the game. He is also going to be(in all likelihood) a one club player. However, he hasn't won a world cup yet and while I thoroughly hold him in the highest regard for being a one club player in todays footballing world, I do wish he'd try his hand in Germany or England and see how he does in other leagues that play differently than La Liga.
Crazy thing is, he is only 27 and has another few years left at this level and still has another chance to win the WC in 2018
Crazy thing is, he is only 27 and has another few years left at this level and still has another chance to win the WC in 2018
Blake Griffin
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past his peak now but he's still the goat.
Spurger King
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Easily my favourite footballer. Only caught the tail-end of Maradona's career, and as much as I loved real Ronaldo and Zidane, neither made me giggle like a school girl in the way Messi can.
Greasy Ronaldo is an incredible footballer too, but for me Messi edges it for pure entertainment value. A lot of players (Bale included) try to imitate Ronaldo. You can't imitate what Messi has.
As for the World Cup, I'd say the Champions League is the tougher tournament these days, and has been for a long time. Messi's already got the necessary winners medals in my opinion.
Greasy Ronaldo is an incredible footballer too, but for me Messi edges it for pure entertainment value. A lot of players (Bale included) try to imitate Ronaldo. You can't imitate what Messi has.
As for the World Cup, I'd say the Champions League is the tougher tournament these days, and has been for a long time. Messi's already got the necessary winners medals in my opinion.
King of Otters
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Definitely seems to have dropped a level over the past 18 months or so. That touch of quicksilver he had running through his veins seems to have deserted him, and he's lost the intensity he had at the height of his powers.
Still the greatest player I've seen in my lifetime though.
THFCSPURS19
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Probably true. And to think he's past his peak but still scored 41 goals in 45 games last season- just shows how phenomenal he is.
Spurger King
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I should add Ledley King to the greats I've seen in my lifetime. At his best he really was incredible, and it was a genuine pleasure to see him play live. Would love to have seen him and Messi competing with each other at their best in a competitive game.
King of Otters
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Agree Messi's CL exploits negate any criticism of his lack of international medals, but I think World Cup glory carries something else that CL medals don't: that sense of popular romanticism that elevates a great player to God status, literally in Maradona's case.
THFCSPURS19
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Messi still kind of dragged them through the tournament. He was just poor in the Semi-Final and Final. The pressure may have got to him TBH.
Spurger King
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Can't deny that. I just think the days of footballers single-handedly (insert Maradona joke here) winning international tournaments are gone.
Real Ronaldo was in a Brazil team that are almost always one of the big favourites to win the World Cup. Zidane won the world cup with home advantage and as part of a France team that would walk most tournaments anyway. Getting Argentina to the final was an incredible achievement in itself. Only marginally better than Portugal, and nobody is using their lack of success as a stick to beat Ronaldo with (not saying that's what you're doing).
I'm just glad that Messi managed to light up a World Cup tournament at least once. Still outshone by James, but in terms of what he's working with I'd say he's overachieved at international level.
And there's still a (very) outside chance he could win it in 4 years. For all we know he could end up dropping back into midfield due to his age and becoming their Pirlo/Xavi/Zidane.
THFCSPURS19
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He'll only be 30-31, he could still win it. Some players retain their pace until their early 30s (e.g. Robben). Of course, by then Lamela would have surpassed him in all ways imaginable
THFCSPURS19
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- #17
Probably. He wouldn't get 40-50 goals but he'd still score loads. He's ripped PL teams apart before (Arsenal).
riggi
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Nah huh mate, rainy night in Stoke init.
Spurger King
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He'll only be 30-31, he could still win it. Some players retain their pace until their early 30s (e.g. Robben). Of course, by then Lamela would have surpassed him in all ways imaginable
I can see him being a Modric-type if he loses his pace...but better. A player like that will be a force for many more years.
THFCSPURS19
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Not for me. He's 5 foot 6.5 inches- he's too small to be a CM. Imagine someone like Pogba up against him in 3 years time- he'd be destroyed. I see him becoming more of an attacking midfielder instead of a forward- but a part of a midfield 2 in a CM/CDM role? I doubt it.
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