Yeah right ... since you guys have NO CLUE who Zico was, let me help 1- until Messi could do better than 4goals+4assists in WC and come back to this thread 2- Until Messi could play for a small team and beat bigger one (Flamengo vs Liverpool 1981) with a superb performance and come back here. 3- Until Messi could pumb up his GPG in Argentina shirt to >0.69 then come back here. 4- Until Messi could learn how to do freekick like Zico, well half of his talent is good enough, then come back here. 5- Until Messi could play like a true playmaker (not like running around in WC2010) of Zico then comeback here to compare
Zico is very overestimated by brazilians (many think he is the greatest Brazilian after Pelé and Top 10/5 of history) and underestimated by many europeans (not all). He was a great player. And James, even Zico or his family no believes he was better than Messi. haha
I did NOT say Zico was better than Messi. But certainly he had "better skillsets" than Messi like Passing ranges, long crossing, Vision, dead ball kick, and difficult "beautiful shots". I could say Messi is a better than Zico in dribble runs and close ball control. Just because Zico was not playing (long) in Europe, along with his BAD LUCK in WC, many are so 'quick' to underate him (without obvious knowledge) In other hand, JUST because People DO NOT understand fully context (so to be WOW by Messi's number in Barca system) so that he was treated as "never been seen" before by some "amateurs" or his fans! He is a great talent no doubt, but sorry, I have watched some greats before him. What he did , some greats has done that before same or better!
Absolutely, this is reason that I not taste much of the discussion Messi vs greatest players in history. Sometimes I talk about, but it's not my favorite discussion. Often we don't know to distinguish what is nostalgia or just remember that there were other big in the past.
Well .. not for me. Nostalgia is one thing, and rating is another. Yeah some times I missed Ronaldinho's flashy ball control and dribble lately, but at same time I do not rate him that high (below the likes Zico, Rivelino , Romario , Rivaldo and Ronaldo) In other hand, I rate Romario, Ronaldo better than some greats in the past: Tostao, Van Basten, Boby Charlton ... There is a BIG DIFFERENCE in "player ranking" and "player true talent" - Ranking: Zidane, Platini, Boby Charlton ... are all higher than Zico, Rivelino (for their big trophies wining) - True talent: Zico was better than Zidane, Rivelino, Boby Charlton, (and arguably at least same as Platini) at more or less same position ...