Feliz Cumpleaños, Leo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a true joy, honor, and privilege to watch this player.
well someone needs to comment here ... elsewhere some people seem to think Messi goal was nothing special (unlike say a point blank unmarked header) ... so not the greatest game for Leo, but I don't know who else would have been able to bring that ball down so well much less score. Pretty much full speed, defender closing, first touch off thigh, second touch (off foot before the ball even hits the ground) and pushed ahead to right foot to shoot ...
107 - Lionel Messi has passed Diego Maradona (105) and become the player with the most dribbles completed in World Cup history since 1966 (107). Inspiration. #WorldCup https://t.co/GT0f9dXlHK
Most Completed Dribbles in World Cup history (recorded since 1966) 107 Messi (18 games) 105 Maradona (21 games) 78 Jairzinho 61 Kempes 56 Robben
Best Individual Scoring Decades 566 Messi (08/09-17/18) 540 C.Ronaldo (08/09-17/18) 534 Pele (1957-1966) 485 G.Müller (67/68-76/77) 475 Peyroteo (37/38-46/47) 433 Romario (1993-2002) 424 Bican (37/38-47/48) 420 McGrory (24/25-33/34) 414 Zico (1974-1983) 414 Eusebio (61/62-70/71) Official goals for club and nt Only confirmed goals counted for Bican Most Completed Dribbles in World Cup History (recorded since 1966) 110 Messi (19 games) 105 Maradona (21 games) 78 Jairzinho 61 Kempes 56 Robben For what it's worth, I'm glad that Messi beat Maradona's record, as it's currently the only way you can mathematically compare dribblers across the eras.
Anyone know where Messi has disappeared to? Not that I care where he is, but wondering if he has decided one way or another about continuing to play for Argentina? Barca pre-season starts July 16th?
Haven't been in news, tried searching with google. Hopefully he will continue now when the old guard has retired and Argentina can start from clean slate. There's a good chance he's still the best player in the world at WC22.
Lol...I think he has disappeared off of the face of the earth to be with his family and clear his head. When do our World Cup players get back?
It varies on when they were knocked out of Russia. ter Stegen should be there when camp opens. Pique, Busquets, Alba, Messi and Mina should also be around for the opening of training. Suarez and Coutinho will likely be given a little more time off but should arrive just before the USA tour. Umtiti, Dembele, Vermaelen and Rakitic could possibly be allowed to miss the USA tour and join the team immediately after. Or they'll join the team either as the team sets off for the USA or even meet the team in the States.
With the chance of a WC title basically gone and having won everything at club level, I wonder how long his drive to play at top level will go for. There is still a chance at CA in 2019 and possibly another one at 2020.
I hope Messi has a good, long rest this summer. Including resting him for the Super Cup. I also hope he keeps playing for Argentina, but maybe not in the upcoming friendlies. Portugal always seems to rest CR7 for non-important NT matches and it would be good if Argentina start doing the same for Messi. Of course there is nothing except friendlies from now until CA'19.
La Liga since 2009, when Cristiano joined Real Madrid: Goals Messi - 329 Ronaldo - 311 Assists Messi - 122 Ronaldo - 88 Titles Messi - 6 Ronaldo - 2 Top Goalscorer Messi - 5 Ronaldo - 3 Player of the Year Messi - 5 Ronaldo - 1
Grandes títulos de Barça y Madrid en 9 últimas temporadas (con Messi y Cristiano)Europa B ❌✅❌❌❌✅❌❌❌ M ❌❌❌❌✅❌✅✅✅Liga B ✅✅❌✅❌✅✅❌✅ M ❌❌✅❌❌❌❌✅❌Copa B ❌❌✅❌❌✅✅✅✅ M ❌✅❌❌✅❌❌❌❌— Pedro Martin (@pedritonumeros) July 10, 2018
Was counting Griezmann to ascend to big company, of players performing best in two major nt-competition, but no. Jose Nasazzi WC30 CA23/35 Ronaldo WC98 CA97 Zidane WC06 EU00 Messi WC14 CA15 Going to analyze Modric next. World Cup performance index, considering statistics, the best (and worst) plays, importance and relation of quality of opposition and own team. Color highlighted as golden, silver, bronze ball, or not in Top 3. 1. Maradona 86 Messi 14 3. Kempes 78 4. Jairzinho 70 5. Robben 14 Cruyff 74 7. Forlan 10 8. Romario 94 9. Eusebio 66 Pele 70 Rossi 82 12. G.Müller 70 Schillaci 90 Suker 98 15. Ronaldo 02 Charlton 66 17. Ronaldo 98 18. Zidane 06
📊 | Messi is the first player in history to be top assist maker at a World Cup, Continental Cup and Champions League. Best playmaker of all time. pic.twitter.com/QUQUmcawlA— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) July 15, 2018
Rooney on Ronaldo v Messi Speaking on an American radio show on Monday, Rooney was asked who is better out of Ronaldo and Messi. And he didn't skip a beat. "Messi", Rooney instantly replied to the interviewer's surprise." "They're probably the best two players to ever play the game and I just think Messi is, in my eyes, the greatest ever." Interviewer's surprise.
Round 1 Modric vs. Nigeria Was part of teams both goals like Messi, the first one of being identical cross for own goal. But it isn't as good as Messi's second goal had more quality and he didn't create 3 additional great chance's like Messi. Otherwise his game was pretty quiet consisting few crosses onwards. It's as important as Messi, Romario and Maradona in this round, but lacks in quality why I rate it lower than those. World Cup Performance Index, considering statistics, the best (and worst) plays, importance and relation of quality of opposition and own team. Color highlighted as gold, silver, bronze ball, or not in Top 3. 1. Messi 14 vs Bosnia and Herzegovina 2. Romario 94 vs Russia 3. Maradona 86 vs South Korea 4. Modric 18 vs Nigeria 5. Robben 14 vs Spain Ronaldo 02 vs Turkey Schillaci 90 vs Austria Jairzinho 70 vs Czechoslovakia G.Müller 70 vs Morocco 10. Suker 98 vs Jamaica Kempes 78 vs Hungary Cruyff 74 vs Uruguay Pele 70 vs Czechoslovakia Eusebio 66 vs Hungary 15. Zidane 06 vs Switzerland Bebeto 94 vs Russia Rossi 82 vs Poland Charlton 66 vs Uruguay 19. Forlan 10 vs France 20. Ronaldo 98 vs Scotland It's pretty long ago when I did this comparison, so I may not remember everything. If I miss something I may have to revisit the rating afterwards.
(Actually, this thread is not about Messi being the best ever but there are some posts implying or declaring Messi the best ever. Hence, I decided to write this post) Can you remember a single time Messi has been decisive against a footballing superpower national team in a serious tournament? If you fail (as you have failed), then can you remember a single time Messi scored a goal to a footballing superpower national team in a serious official tournament like continental championship or world championship? And if you are still failing (as you certianly are) can you remember a single time Messi scored a goal in the knock-out stages of serious tournaments like Copa America and World Cup? Ask these questions yourself, you will fail everytime. As far as my memory serves, Uruguay, Mexico and Peru are the highest teams among the national teams against whom Messi has been able to score in a serious tournament. The few times Messi has been decisive on national team level were against teams like Ecuador, USA, Costa-Rica and Venezuela. Messi rescued his team from missing the WC 2018 by scoring a hattrick against Ecuador in a do or die match. This is probably the best moment for Messi from his national team career. Against USA and Venezuela he was decisive in Copa America 2016 Knockout stages. Messi’s world cup goals came against Serbia and Montenegro, Iran,Nigeria and Bosnia. I do not mean to disrespect this teams, but the CV of the GOAT nominee should not lack goals and great performances against footballing superpowers. Here are the footballing superpowers Messi faced during his career: Netherlands (WC 2006 and 2014), Brazil (Copa America 2007 and world cup qualifications in each world cup), Germany (World cup 2010 and 2014), France (WC2018) and Croatia. Some may object to reckoning Croatia a superpower, I agree they have not been a footballing superpower historically, nor were they considered a superpower even on the eve of WC 2018 but it was a strong team. Here are the things Messi’s CV has: Zero goals in world cup knockout stages (and zero goals in CA knock out stages as well if you do not take Copa America's special edition into account). Zero times decisive against footballing superpowers in serious tournaments. Zero goals to footballing superpowers in serious tournaments. Are you sure this guy is your nominee for the GOAT status? Is this guy the best you can afford? Messi is great but he is nowhere near GOAT nominees. He is very skillful, as skillful as any GOAT candidate but he lacks GOAT level performances in national team level. He has great performances in club level but his CV lacks almost everything related to national team a GOAT candidate should have. This is just 1 reason I can not consider Messi a GOAT candidate, there are other reasons as well. Bye bye, come up with a better and worthy candidate. This candidate fails. I can never reckon him a goat candidate. Are we clear now? Did you understand why I, as a football fan, can never reckon Messi a goat candidate? UPDATE: Some comments countering me made me decide to write a small comparison with other GOAT candidates. Here we go. Pele: At the age of 17, he started his world cup career against the USA in a group match and he delivered an assist, note that the USSR was considered a superpower back then. Scored a goal against Wales in Quarter-final, scored a hattrick against France in semi-final and was again decisive in the world cup final. In world cup 1970, Pele performed greatly against world champion and superpower England, was spectacular against Uruguay and was against spectacular against Italy in the final scoring once and creating a goal twice both of which are considered footballing superpowers. Cruyff: Was spectacular against Argentina in a world cup, scored twice. Scored against Brazil and was again spectacular. Was partially great against Germany in the final. He was spectacular during the whole tournament. Maradona: Scored a goal against Brazil in Mundialito which was a Centennial Copa America like tournament. Scored against Italy and England in world cup games, was decisive against Belgium in semi-final. Besides scoring, he was decisive many times like in his game against Brazil in 1990 Semi-final. Zidane: Scored twice against Brazil in World cup final and was great in semi and quarter finals, was very spectacular in whole Euro 2000 even though he scored less, scored against England in Euro tournament. Performed greatly against Spain, Brazil and Portugal in the knockout stages Oh, sorry I am bored and tired to go on with others like Platini. Just compare Messi’s CV to the GOAT candidates mentioned above.
Round 2 Modric vs. Argentina Scored almost identical goal as Messi vs Iran, and was involved slightly in the last goal. But it isn't as important, because Croatia scored a goal without him. I think it's pretty identical performance with Ronaldo 98, who was also involved 2 of 3 goals, scored 1on1 and showed great quality creating a goal. World Cup Performance Index, considering statistics, the best (and worst) plays, importance and relation of quality of opposition and own team. Color highlighted as gold, silver, bronze ball, or not in Top 3. 1. Messi 14 vs Iran Forlan 10 vs South Africa Charlton 66 vs Mexico 4. Jairzinho 70 vs England 5. Ronaldo 98 vs Morocco Modric 18 vs Argentina Kempes 78 vs France 7. G.Müller vs Bulgaria 8. Bebeto vs Cameroon Romario 94 vs Cameroon 10. Maradona 86 vs Italy 11. Robben 14 vs Australia Ronaldo 02 vs China Cruyff 74 vs Sweden 14. Pele 70 vs England 15. Suker 98 vs Japan 16. Zidane 06 vs South Korea Eusebio 66 vs Bulgaria 17. Rossi 82 vs Peru 19. Schillaci 90 vs USA