Lionel Messi - World player of the year X4! | FerrariChat

Lionel Messi - World player of the year X4!

Discussion in 'Sports' started by Fast_ian, Jan 8, 2013.

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  1. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

    Sep 25, 2006
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    Ian Anderson
    Hey,

    Just announced; http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jan/07/lionel-messi-ballon-dor

    This is unquestionably the highest honor from world soccer. Nobody has ever won it 4 times in succession. Love this little bit;

    Many are making the argument that he is already, at a mere 25 years old, the best to have ever played the game. I'd have to concur - He really is that good.

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  2. Osiris_x11

    Osiris_x11 Formula Junior

    Oct 30, 2007
    635
    Austin, Texas
    I reasonably think that Messi's first Ballon d'Or & FIFA Footballer of the Year mantle piece arguably could've gone to Cristiano Ronaldo.

    With that said, unquestionably Lionel Messi is the most prolific & dominating footballer at the moment & most consistent at that in decades.

    Very difficult to categorize the best due to different eras & times, but Messi has easily entered the discussion to join the realm of Pele, Maradona, and Zidane. A World Cup title in Brasil will cement his legacy alongside those greats; considering the leadership & organizational turmoil the Argentine Int'l side have dealt w/ negated any tangible success during his caps.
     
  3. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    3 of 'em against Brazil . . .
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQN0jeX07eo[/ame]
     
  4. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    I've heard that quite a few times. I guess it makes for a good bar room debate.... But, at the end of the day, Messi is in the record books......

    +1 that he needs to take Argentina deep in 2014.

    Forget Zidane! There's only one memory I have of him, and it isn't good. Talk about destroying your legacy.

    The other reason I believe he's one of, if not already the best ever is his attitude. Seems to me he remains humble and appreciative of his team mates etc..... Ronaldo, while a fine player is much more of a one man band IMO.

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  5. pamparius

    pamparius Formula Junior

    May 16, 2007
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    are you serious? how could you forget the many good games by zidane? the two goals in the wc-final in 1998? the wonderful goal in the cl-final 2002? how can anybody forget these??? this guy was a genius with the ball, an artist on the pitch. never forget what he has done besides the headbutt!
     
  6. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    I've watched the sport a long time - granted, I'm not as hardcore as many here, but I was privileged enough to see Pele play - as well as his last game - with the NY Cosmos.

    Pele - for me - is the greatest of all time. His on pitch excellence is without question top 5 all time, but he transcended the sport. Remember, in America - where "soccer" isn't so big, Pele was an icon. We all worshipped him as children, and we ALL knew who he was.

    Messi, as a player, is the only one close enough to Pele. He's not the ambassador, but I'll say he's so far ahead of everyone else - in the modern game - that he may surpass Pele when it's over (and I don't mean stats, I mean as influence, etc.).

    CR7 is a fantastic player - we're witnessing something fabulous with their "rivalry" if you will. Much like McEnroe / Borg, or Sampras / Agassi, or Nadal / Federer...yet he'll probably always be in Messi's shadow.

    Argentina MUST show better. The level of talent is scary, and they just can't put it together. Messi, Lavezzi, Aguero, Higuain, Zabaleta, Coloccini to name a few. Tevez isn't even on the squad if I'm not mistaken, but with just Messi and Aguero alone, you have something special...
     
  7. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Zidane was a phenomenal player...but not GOAT. In my top 10 for sure though.

    He's a midfielder - more Ronaldo or Cruyff, and I'd put both of them ahead of Zidane (although it can be argued and I could be convinced).

    I think the headbutt was a raw deal, and my team is the Azzurri! Zizou's legacy deserves better!!
     
  8. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    I hear you. He was a marvellous player. In fact, by about mid way of the 98 final I even commented that I wanted France to win - As an Englishman fewer things come harder! :) But, it was going to be his last (international?) game, and I figured he deserved it. France really played that whole tournament beautifully, and he was truly great.

    Then he ruins his entire legacy with that nonsense at the end. Sorry, he's out for that reason alone IMO.

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  9. pamparius

    pamparius Formula Junior

    May 16, 2007
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    i don't think zizou is the goat, either, but i also don't think he destroyed his whole legacy. he's still in the top 10, imo.
     
  10. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Top 10? For sure. As much as I cannot forgive him (or Maradona for his hand of god bs;)) they're both certainly in the top 10 IMO.

    Pele was indeed transcendant. I once read he had the widest angle of view ever measured...
    Ronaldo #1 at his peak.
    Puskuss (sp?) according to my dad. He scored a crazy # of goals.
    Ronaldo #2. Helluva player, but I just can't seem to get to like him. (I'll get in trouble if I post what the boys say about him....;))

    Any others? What's truly blowing me away is Messi is still only 25!

    Anyway, and I've asked this before, has anyone analysed the average #of goals scored per game since, say, Puskuss' day?..... I suspect we believe there's less today, but am really not sure?

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  11. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    No you won''t. I can't stand him either.
     
  12. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Ferenc Puskas - he was a legend, but never saw him play. That team was noted for playing a 4-2-4 formation - which is quite odd.

    Cruyff - his influence is still felt today. 3x Ballon d'Or winner too. Granted he benefited from Rinus Michels "Total Football" approach, but that guy had some mad skills...another one I knew about then.

    Platini - also 3x Ballon d'Or winner.

    Not maybe as a pure scorer but in terms of redefining the position - Beckenbauer as sweeper.
     
  13. Osiris_x11

    Osiris_x11 Formula Junior

    Oct 30, 2007
    635
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    Others in the all-time greats talk (alongside Pele, Maradona, Zidane, and now Messi) from my end would be...

    [chronologically]

    - Di Stefano (Argentina)
    - Puskus (Hungary)
    - Yashin (USSR)
    - Eusebio (Portugal)
    - Cruyff (Nederlands)
    - Beckenbauer (Germany)
    - Ronaldo (Brasil)
    - C Ronaldo (Portugal)

    No real surprises there, obviously. With that said, there are numerous others, flash-in-the-pan types or very good but not great over time...
     
  14. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    You have to be amazed at how great both CR and Messi are. I'm a big big fan of Pirlo, skill and vision are wonderful, but not even in the same league as them.

    I played, albeit at a low level. Plus, I'm American, so we play a really ugly style of ball...mind you, I played in the '70s as a youth - when we were REALLY raw. So fair to say I wouldn't embarrass myself in an over-40 league, but foreign players would have my number.

    I now coach and I have a former semi-pro from Ireland as my trainer. He's a great guy, and we scrimmage with my team - the dude schooled me so bad it wasn't even funny. You start to realize how great - I mean truly GREAT - someone like Messi or CR is, at such a young age, it's mind-boggling.
     
  15. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    I just watched the interview on 60 Minutes Sports that is discussed here, http://m.cbsnews.com/postwatch.rbml?pageType=video&cbsID=50138631.

    Wow, incredible story... Hormone issues... First contract on a napkin... Storybook stuff.

    I'm a sports fan that will watch the big matches so I've heard the name before but none of his back story.

    What I found just as interesting was the academy he attended and that at times all of the players on the pitch for Barcelona had come thru that academy. Quite the footballer factory!
     
  16. treedee3d

    treedee3d F1 Rookie

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    #16 treedee3d, Jan 11, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2013
    Agree 100%. What made it even worse is the fact that he has never apologized and that to me is unacceptable...

    He apologized afterwards to "the children of the world"??? What kind of BS is that? He didn't "hit" the children?

    Now he's an ambassador for peace, soccer, children, poverty...all good causes but how does resorting to violence and then not even apologize make a good example for the children who admire him?

    I don't care how much trash talking is done during the game but violence is far worse.

    Now, as for Messi, he is indeed a true phenomenon and a nice guy which makes it easy to like him.

    CR7 is so good, so talented but also just so obnoxious when he takes that wide stance then huffs and puffs like a madman before he takes a free kick which he often ends up way off target. I just want to reach in the TV and slap him. All those theatrics are uncalled for...look at Pirlo, he calmly takes his position and kicks the ball with precision and danger everytime without all the fluff.

    Pele, Maradona were also unbelievable...we'll see how Messi's career unfolds. Let's not forget he has a great team also and they essentially won 2 euros and a world cup since the Spain roster is pretty much the Barcelona team sans Messi.

    As a Napoli fan, I am lucky to be able to watch Cavani do amazing things...kind of like a thoroughbred player like Ibrahimovich but more refined.
     
  17. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #17 Fast_ian, Jan 14, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2013
    +1 and thx for the link. Hadn't seen that little interview - As I said, he remains humble and appreciative of his team mates etc. He also came along a little too late for my boys - When they were growing up English football demanded huge "bruisers" to the exclusion of almost all else. He's disproven that theory....

    Another +1

    While they pretty much all have their academies (my boys attended a few over the years) I'm pretty sure that if they graduate 1-2 to the senior team every year they think they're doing well!

    Many studies have been attempted to figure out why Barcelona's is the only one that is consistently so successful. FWIW, the first American kid (~11 IIRC) is now at the academy. His parents moved with him apparently - Nice if you can do that! Can you imagine the interest here in the States if he should make the Barca' team!?

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  18. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    +1 to all!

    Another issue I have with CR7 is his all too frequent flopping. Damn, look at him the wrong way and he falls over in agony. :(

    I know there are some who claim they're all guilty of this, but watch the Messiah's highlights - Guys pulling at him, trying to trip him (good luck with that ;)) and he simply walks round 'em. Never whines to the ref, just picks himself up (*if* they get him) and gets on with it.

    The one name we haven't mentioned is of course the late great George Best. May have turned into the same kind of player had he not lost it in a vodka bottle. :(

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  19. igor

    igor Karting

    Dec 27, 2010
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    There's a angle some of you might not have thought of. From my experience watching basketball football and soccer, I noticed how the competition gets harder and there's seems to be a higher skill level overall as the game gets played throught the years. Example, look back 20 years ago in basketball how many really good players were on every team? Not even close as how many there are today. Just about every single team has a really good player, or 2, or even 3. Same thing with football. When was the last time we had so much talent at the qb position? same applies to soccer. The fact that messi is tearing it up in today's game makes me wonder what he'd be doing 15-20 years ago. The defenders are smarter and more skilled today then they were back in the day. Messi will surpass all the other greats when he's finished.... So will Lebron :)
     
  20. Mang

    Mang F1 Veteran
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    #20 Mang, Mar 21, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  21. Mang

    Mang F1 Veteran
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    this is a fun watch...pre-game last week

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQVvg9heZ08]Messi/Alves warm-up | PSG 2-2 FCB | - YouTube[/ame]
     
  22. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    *Awesome!*

    My boys could do that, but only if they were only about 4-5 yards apart! ;)

    Do you get over there a lot?

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  23. Mang

    Mang F1 Veteran
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    Hi Ian, NO, unfortunately. I did just spend 3 weeks in Spain, and Italy taking in some amazing champions league matches, but it had been many years since I was in Europe. This clip was linked to me, didn't see it live.

    I did enjoy seeing Messi and especially Iniesta do his thing. For me the BEST overall player in the world IS Messi....but Iniesta is right there! Saw C Ronaldo too....VERY good also!!
     
  24. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

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    Zidane is not in the same league as the others.
     
  25. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    I wish I could get over there and intern with FCB...American soccer has much to learn :(

    On another note, I thought Italy recovered from early games to play some great soccer against Spain and Uruguay. Looks like catenaccio is dead! Gigi Buffon is a man of total confidence and seems like a great guy, very gracious both in the loss against Spain and win against Uruguay.

    I was shocked at how dominant Brazil looked. David Luiz' play to save a goal was tremendous, and Cesar saving a PK against Ramos was huge - it could have well been a 2-2 or 3-2 match. In any event, congrats to the Selecao, I'm pretty sure Spain won't forget this next year!!
     

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