Messi's third was the choice of the three and for those of us that actually

[World's End Stella]

Nothing to do with 'character'. It's about achievements on the pitch. Maradona performed miracles with teams of ordinary players around him. Messi's achievements have been in teams full of superstars.

Messi performs miracles far more often than Maradonna did, his teammates certainly contributed to that however that doesn't change the fact that for a few years he was routinely performing at a level that Maradonna achieved only rarely even when at Barca.

[SWv2]

Comparison of players from very different eras is a futile exercise.

[Ash]

Comparison of players from very different eras is a futile exercise.

Of course, but so is most discussion of football amongst fans when it comes down to it.

[Sir C]

Of course, but so is most discussion of football amongst fans when it comes down to it.

ANY discussion of football which attempts to argue such questions as 'best player' or 'biggest club' can be immediately dismissed as the deranged droolings of a retard.

[Burney]

ANY discussion of football which attempts to argue such questions as 'best player' or 'biggest club' can be immediately dismissed as the deranged droolings of a retard.

Sure. But that doesn't stop it being very much the lifeblood of discussion among football fans.

[Sir C]

Sure. But that doesn't stop it being very much the lifeblood of discussion among football fans.

Oh, I have no issues with football fans grunting such nonsense at each other; I simply leave them to it and refuse to engage in such a futile activity.

[World's End Stella]

Oh, I have no issues with football fans grunting such nonsense at each other; I simply leave them to it and refuse to engage in such a futile activity.

Not even when someone suggests Johan Cruyff was Danish?

[Burney]

Messi performs miracles far more often than Maradonna did, his teammates certainly contributed to that however that doesn't change the fact that for a few years he was routinely performing at a level that Maradonna achieved only rarely even when at Barca.

'Even when at Barca'? His early spell at Barca was one of the least happy of his career. He was in his pomp as a club footballer while at Napoli.

Based on this and other stuff you've come out with, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you've no fvcking idea what you're on about.

[World's End Stella]

'Even when at Barca'? His early spell at Barca was one of the least happy of his career. He was in his pomp as a club footballer while at Napoli.

Based on this and other stuff you've come out with, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you've no fvcking idea what you're on about.

He was at Barca, the fact that he made little of his time there should surely factor into analysis of his career and can't simply be dismissed because it is inconsistent with your view.

And I love the idea that he spent his career surrounded by ordinary players. Because the Argentinian national team is routinely populated by utterly average players.

Based on this, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you've no fvcking idea what you're on about.

[Burney]

He was at Barca, the fact that he made little of his time there should surely factor into analysis of his career and can't simply be dismissed because it is inconsistent with your view.

And I love the idea that he spent his career surrounded by ordinary players. Because the Argentinian national team is routinely populated by utterly average players.

Based on this, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you've no fvcking idea what you're on about.

At the risk of getting into a level of detail that's over your head (i.e. any), Valdano and Burruchaga were decent, but that's pretty much it. And Napoli were really nothing special. Pretty much every authority agrees on Maradona's ability to drag unpromising teams to levels of achievement they'd never have got near without him. This makes him unique in the pantheon of greats. After all, Cruyff had a great side around him, as did Pele and Messi has had the same. Maradona stands out by his ability to achieve great things without that support.

You may dispute his greatness all you like, but history bears this out.