I had wanted to post this
article before the finals of the World Cup but couldn’t for a reason I can’t
remember now. But I still want my readers to read it. Read Gary Linekers
thought on Messi below:
There is something not quite
right with Lionel Messi at this World Cup.
I am the Argentina captain's
biggest fan and he is the most wonderfully gifted player since Diego Maradona
but, here in Brazil, I have been disappointed with what I have seen.
Some people might say there is
not much wrong with Messi at all, because Argentina are in the final and he has
scored four goals to help get them there.
But there is no question in my
mind that the Barcelona forward has become quite static on the pitch in this
tournament.
No movement from the magician
I watched Messi closely when I
went to Argentina's semi-final win over the Netherlands in Sao Paulo, and there
was so little movement from him.
Yes, the Netherlands put a man
on him like everybody else does, but he was very easy to mark. He did not do
anything like the amount of running he usually does.
I have watched him for years and
he always scores a lot of poacher's goals by darting into the box late.
Messi's only touch in the area
against Netherlands was his penalty in the shootout
But every time Argentina did
attack down the flanks against the Dutch, he did not even try to get anywhere
near the area.
The only time he touched the
ball in their box was when he scored a penalty in the shootout.
He has had some magical moments
at this World Cup and dug Argentina out of a hole on occasions in the group
stage, but his overall performance so far has been staccato.
I had a feeling watching him for
Barcelona this season that he was saving himself for the World Cup, but he has
clearly not been in brilliant physical condition in Brazil.
His father says Messi is
exhausted and, no matter how much he wants to, it will not be easy for him to
turn it on in the final at the Maracana either.
He is a special player, and he
is still scoring goals, but I am not convinced he will play in the way we know
he can because he looks so jaded.
I understand the argument that
Messi needs to win the World Cup to be elevated to the same level as Maradona
in the highest echelon of football. They are both from Argentina for a start.
I think it will massively help
his case if they do triumph on Sunday, but I don't see it as an absolute prerequisite.
But for those who do believe it
matters, I don't think it is just about Messi winning this tournament - it is
about his performance level, and tiredness has caught up with him.
Messi vs Maradona
Maradona was a genuinely
astonishing player, tiny but incredibly strong. By a million miles he was the
best I ever played with or against.
Diego Maradona led Argentina to
victory over West Germany and World Cup glory in 1986
I don't mean it as a pun after
the way he scored his first goal against England when Argentina beat us in the
1986 World Cup quarter-final, but his left foot could manipulate the ball as if
it were a hand.
There are obvious similarities
with Messi in the way they could both beat people and are both predominantly
left-footed, Maradona even more so because he hardly even touched it with his
right.
And they both have the ability
to ride tackles and get themselves out of unbelievably difficult situations
with people all around them.
How good was Maradona?
"When I was at Barcelona, I
played with Maradona for a 'Rest of the World' team at Wembley in 1988 as part
of the Football League's centenary celebrations and every other player was in
awe of him. Even great players like Zico and Michel Platini - their jaws
dropped when he walked into our dressing room. We went out for the warm-up and
he got a ball and juggled it all the way to the halfway line, then booted it
about 50 yards in the air and when it came straight down booted it again. He
did it about 12 times and never had to do anything but walk. I remember telling
the other Barca players when I went back to Spain and we all tried it.
The best
anybody did was three, with a massive sprint at the end."
But it is difficult to compare
players from different generations.
There are massive advantages to
playing now, which is why we are seeing goalscoring records being set all over
the place. The laws are more in favour of forwards now, and you cannot just be
kicked constantly like Maradona and other great dribblers were.
But I think the biggest change
is in the quality of the surfaces that they play on. In Maradona's day, they
were generally awful and, in that 1986 quarter-final, the pitch we played on at
the Aztec Stadium was like a cabbage-patch.
……….
On the field, Diego Maradona was
best player I have ever seen. He was a genius with the ball. Unbelievable
talent, when he holds the ball, every person pays him attention. He does things
with the ball no other player can do with it. He is a magician and I don’t even
believe in magic.
Pele doesn’t even come
close to his talent. As for Messi, he is light years away from being a
Maradona.
Maradona single-handedly won the
world cup for Argentina, Messi couldn’t and may likely never.
Off the field however, Maradona is another person.
Credit: BBC Sports
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