So an event that takes place once every 4 years (one month/7 matches depending if you get to the final) is now the only criteria right??? And the way you're saying it, people will think Pele won those world cups playing along side bums, which is absolutely not the case. He was always in a team stacked with great players at that time, and more important is that those players played to their full potentials when required of them, they weren't just expecting Pele to do magic. Hell they even won one of Pele's 3 worldcups "without" him cause he was injured. It's crazy how people just tend to ignore how bad other Argentine players (who are very talented by the way) play and the fact that Messi plays a different role for Argentina. Ronaldo has more world cup goals than Pele, do you think he's better than Pele??? i personally think he is but not just because of his worldcup goals.
Messi is around the same level as Ronaldo (Brazil) But the only reason why I wont consider Messi better is because he plays poor for Argentina. Ronaldo (Brazil) 68 Goals / 98 Games .2002 World Cup .Copa America 1997 and 1999 .Confederation Cup 1997
Ronaldo is "my" favourite player ever. But let's be serious, Ronaldo played in brazilian team that all the other players (Rivaldo,etc..) always showed up to perform too,it was never a case in a competition where the other players were just waiting for Ronaldo to do it all by himself. And he always played the same position throughout his career, he never had to do a playmaker role for brazil.
messi play as AMF for argentina .... and he is the playmaker for argentina.. its like you hoping xavi to score 1000 goal for barca... argentina fail is not cause by messi... you look at their game.. their defence is like 3rd division club team...
Pele was on the stands on 1 world cup. Brasil still won. My point is that, that Brasil was light years better than this Argentina. If Messi was on the stands in his NT, they wouldnt even classify in the Qualifiers.
You're acting like Argentina is some trash nation. Without Messing they would still be a top 10 side. Messi is not a leader and in my opinion the players at Barcarolna make him better instead of the other way around like a Zidane.
Every player needs a great team to win sometihng important. Yes even Maradona. The fable that a player can single-handly lead a team to glory is wrong and actually physically impossible. Im not saying Argentina is a trash nation, Im saying its an incompetent NT in terms of management and their inmense talent stacked in the forward position is not in balance with other areas equally important like midfield and defense.
Pele isnt as good as messi, just go look youtube pele played against alot of bums from the 60s who drank before matches, played hungover, had day jobs didnt even know how to defend teams played open football, 2-3-5 formation, 4-2-4, etc Messi regularly makes spanish league defenders look like shit, and his scoring record is astronomical Messi also dominates in the uefa CL, against the top european clubs he also dominated Santos in the CWC Messi is better than Pele. hes faster better finisher better dribbler he just isnt as fancy messi is a no nosense, wham bam thank you man GTFO type of player. no complaints to the referee no diving no pretty boy camera poses like CR7 no media antics no kicking out at players like Balotelli Messi is just PURE football, its all he cares about not modelling, or wearing expensive clothes (he shows up to FIFA galas wearing adidas gear) or hot gold digging GFs (he has a relationship with childhood girlfriend)
To avoid bias, let's compare Pele with Messi in finals at the international level: MESSI World Cup: 1 match, 0 goals + 0 assist Copa América: 3 matches, 0 goals + 0 assist UEFA Champions League: 3 matches, 2 goals + 0 assist Club World Cup: 3 matches, 4 goals + 0 assist Supercopa de Europa: 4 games, 3 goals + 2 assists TOTAL MESSI: 14 matches, 9 goals + 2 assists = 11, average of 0.78 per game. PELÉ World Cup: 2 matches, 3 goals + 3 assist Copa Libertadores: 3 games, 3 goals + 2 assists Intercontinental Cup: 3 games, 7 goals + 2 assists TOTAL PELÉ: 8 matches, 13 goals + 7 assists = 20, average of 2.50 per game. Pele is better than Messi.
Ronaldo is not at the level of Pele in the Worlds: Pele: 14 games, 12 goals +9 assists = 21 (average of 1.50 per game) Pele generated 21 goals out of 37 that made Brazil = 56.7% INFLUENCE !!!!! Ronaldo: 19 matches, 15 goals + 4 assists = 19 (average 1.00 per calf) Ronaldo generated 19 goals of 42 that made Brazil = 45.2% of INFLUENCE !!!!! At national level, the same thing happens: Pele: 92 matches, 77 goals + 33 assists = 110 (average of 1.19 per match) Pele generated 110 goals of 235 that made Brazil = 46.8% of INFLUENCE !!!!! Ronaldo: 97 matches, 62 goals +26 assists = 88 (average 0.90 per calf) Ronaldo generated 88 goals of 222 that made Brazil = 39.6% INFLUENCE !!!!! Now if we add Messi and Maradona: Maradona: 91 matches, 34 goals +28 assists = 62 (average 0.68 per calf) Maradona generated 62 goals of 137 that made Argentina = 45.2% of INFLUENCE !!!!! Messi: 118 matches, 58 goals + 38 assists = 96 (average 0.81 per match) Messi generated 96 goals of 220 that made Argentina = 43.6% of INFLUENCE !!!!! SUMMARY Average goal per game: 1. Pele, an average of 1.19 goal per game in NT 2. Ronaldo, an average of 0.90 goal per game in NT 3. Messi, an average of 0.81 goal per game in NT 4. Maradona, an average of 0.68 goal per game in NT Percentage of Influence: 1. Pele = 46.8% 2. Maradona = 45.2% 3. Messi = 43.6% 4. Ronaldo = 39.6% CONCLUSION Pele had great players like Garrincha, Didi, Vavá, and then to Tostao, Gerson, Rivelino and Jairzinho, despite having great competition, reached the highest percentage of influence. Ronaldo, also had in his equipment great players like Ronaldinho, Romario, Rivaldo, Bebeto and Roberto Carlos. Its average is the second highest, but its influence was smaller. Maradona has the lowest goal average, but was the most influential after Pele. At the beginning he had classmates like Kempes, Pasarella or Ardiles and in the end to Batistuta and Caniggia. But at his best, he had little bright but competitive players who won other important tournaments like Copa Libertadores or Intercontinental Cup (Ruggeri, Burruchaga, Enrique, Giusti, Pumpido, etc.) Messi, his goal average is much lower than he has at FC Barcelona, but his influence is good. VERDICT 1. Pele is the most productive, and the most influential of these big four. 2. For the second place, there is a tie between Maradona and Ronaldo. The Argentine's merit is to have reached a higher peak of performance in 1986, and the merit of the Brazilian is to have won more titles (World Cup and America) 3. Third place is for Messi, although statistics are even with Maradona and Ronaldo, his lack of titles and absence of goals and assists in the finals he plays against.
Messi doesn't belong anywhere near a discussion of the greatest of all times. If anything CR7 shoudl feature before he does. At least when talking about international football.
Messi is better, probably in part because he's had better training, plays against better competition, and has more resources for personal, psychological and other well-being development.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6klp5f A great compilation about Pele. The inventor and the greatest of football.
There is no way to compare these two, I can say that Messi is better than CR7 cause, I saw both of them in same conditions so what about Pele- he is the best they said, but what is going to happen if he plays vs today's defenders and today's tactic in football, the same is related for Messi he is the best now, but we don't know how he would manage to succeed in the past. One more thing that we should consider the rules of the game - they changed a lot