Is Lionel Messi the most talented footballer you have seen ?

[grecian]

If we're actually talking talent rather then International effectiveness. There's a few englishman I've seen, but they've all been lacking in one regard or another, Hoddle, Gascoine, Worthington (even though I only saw him at the end of his career), Beardsley, Waddle, Barnes, Joe cole all extremely technically gifted, yet all failing to become greats.

If I had to do a top 10 though:

Platini
That cheating Argie
Zidane
Ronaldo
Zico
Romario
Baggio
Brady
van Basten (what could of been, if not for injury)
Gullit

None of them played at their prime in the Premiership, which is odd.

Honorable mentions to Socrates, Giresse, Genghini, Tigana (yeah I quite liked that French midfield), Henry, Bergcamp, Zola, Cantona, Rivaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo.

All ahead of Lionel for me I'm afraid.

Yes I know it's lacking in modern players, partly that's my old-fogeyism, but also it's hard to judge until the careers have all but played out. We've had recently, IMO, two quite disappointing winners of the Euros and WC, with the better players for other teams being of the older variety. I'm sure it's all cyclical and I hope for a great Euros where newish names spring to the fore. Yet I'm very much in a state of now denial, ATM.

 

[irfan]

Zidane IMO. The way he singlehandedly destroyed Brazil in the quarters or semis (can't remember which) of the 06 WC was magical. The man could dribble, distribute, shoot, cross, head whereas Messi is more of a dribbling machine. Zidane has obv achieved more, leading his team to WC, Euro Cups and numerous club awards. Messi's career is still in its infancy, but I don't know if he can improve his allround game (teammate awareness, tackling) to match that of Zidane.

Ronnie deserves a mention in terms of pure talent, he can do practically everything but he performs in fits and spurts and relies on flashes of brilliance over dominating a game consistenly over 90 minutes.

Zizou still the best I've seen.

 

[Matteh]

Wayne Corden. Clearly.

 

[Burgey]

He's not close IMO, and that's not to say he isn't a really really good player. It's just that there's been so many good 'uns that I can remember (since the 70s).

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Romario
Baggio
Gullit

Weird to see so many early 90s players. Baggio especially - what did he ever do apart from blast a pen over? The game at that time was in such a shabby state that Sweden could win the WC bronze and Norway be ranked second in the world, and Italian teams won the European Cup by near-walkover.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Weird to see so many early 90s players. Baggio especially - what did he ever do apart from blast a pen over?

Did a hell of a lot to get them in the final in the first place tbf. I agree with your main point, however.

 

[sledger]

Dennis Bergkamp

 

[Craig]

So who is better Kaka or Cristiano Ronaldo?

Kaka for mine even if I feel dirty.

Dennis Bergkamp

He is a funny one. For a player who was nothing short of a flop at Inter was a star at Arsenal.

 

[Salamuddin]

If we're actually talking talent rather then International effectiveness. There's a few englishman I've seen, but they've all been lacking in one regard or another, Hoddle, Gascoine, Worthington (even though I only saw him at the end of his career), Beardsley, Waddle, Barnes, Joe cole all extremely technically gifted, yet all failing to become greats.

If I had to do a top 10 though:

Platini
That cheating Argie
Zidane
Ronaldo
Zico
Romario
Baggio
Brady
van Basten (what could of been, if not for injury)
Gullit

None of them played at their prime in the Premiership, which is odd.

Honorable mentions to Socrates, Giresse, Genghini, Tigana (yeah I quite liked that French midfield), Henry, Bergcamp, Zola, Cantona, Rivaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo.

All ahead of Lionel for me I'm afraid.

Yes I know it's lacking in modern players, partly that's my old-fogeyism, but also it's hard to judge until the careers have all but played out. We've had recently, IMO, two quite disappointing winners of the Euros and WC, with the better players for other teams being of the older variety. I'm sure it's all cyclical and I hope for a great Euros where newish names spring to the fore. Yet I'm very much in a state of now denial, ATM.

Hmmm. I personally reckon Messi will be rated better in due course than several of those players but each to their own.

Why do you rate Baggio so highly ? Didn;t think he was that good a player.....

 

[grecian]

Hmmm. I personally reckon Messi will be rated better in due course than several of those players but each to their own.

Why do you rate Baggio so highly ? Didn;t think he was that good a player.....

Well I did say it was hard to judge until a career is over. Messi may well beat all if he produces at World Cups and in a few more Champions League campaigns.

Umm, not sure about the Baggio, erm, bagging Tbh. Single-handedly, as an attacker, took Italy to the final of the WC94. The goal he scored in '90 wasn't bad either. '90 Missed a pen, but so did Zico and that Cheating Argie, and that arrogant **** Cristiano yet their's didn't cost a World Cup though it has to be said.

This is a talent + achievement list. Baggio had all the talent in the world, if we went for just achievement I'd of no doubt put some Germans in there ahead of Baggio and Brady anyway. Rummenigge, Breitner, Matthaus, Klinsmann.

Actually Pierre Littbarski (sp) was the most talented German I saw.

Btw missed out Hagi, Blokhin (sp), Boniek from my "others" list.