Thread: 2022-23 World Cup

Great match today and congrats to Argentina. Such an amazing game and WC.

I don't know about GOAT, but Messi is probably the best of this generation.

It still rubs me the wrong way that he spent his whole career playing in two of the least competitive "big" leagues to play in, on stacked teams.

He took the easy way because that's what you need to do when you're that size. ESPN ran an article arguing he's the greatest male athlete ever. Messi doesn't even crack the top ten of NFL athletes. He's overrated. He's more Troy Aikman than he is Peyton Manning.

As a short king, you have been ordered to cease and desist.

Originally Posted by aberdien

As a short king, you have been ordered to cease and desist.

As a Gentle King, I will do so, even though you've no authority to order me to do anything. <3

Originally Posted by King87

He took the easy way because that's what you need to do when you're that size. ESPN ran an article arguing he's the greatest male athlete ever. Messi doesn't even crack the top ten of NFL athletes. He's overrated. He's more Troy Aikman than he is Peyton Manning.

Messi is a GOAT easily. I'm just not sure if he's THE goat, considering he only played in Spain (with only 1 team to compete with for the title) and France (zero teams to compete with for the title) while surrounded by the best players in the world. I always picked CR7 over Messi. I don't think international trophies signify GOAT. But Pele had 3 WC trophies.

The shortlist is:

Pele
Maradona
Ronaldo (Brazil)
Ronaldo (Portugal)
Messi

It's probably between Messi and Maradona.

Originally Posted by aberdien

Messi is a GOAT easily. I'm just not sure if he's THE goat, considering he only played in Spain (with only 1 team to compete with for the title) and France (zero teams to compete with for the title) while surrounded by the best players in the world. I always picked CR7 over Messi. I don't think international trophies signify GOAT. But Pele had 3 WC trophies.

The shortlist is:

Pele
Maradona
Ronaldo (Brazil)
Ronaldo (Portugal)
Messi

It's probably between Messi and Maradona.

Rep your set!

Originally Posted by King87

Rep your set!

Maradona did it all on his own, little talent surrounding him. He did it for his country and his continent. He was (and is!) a mythological figure. So it's gotta be him IMO. On paper, Messi is the GOAT...but this ain't about paper!

He's probably better than Messi. Was he tiny?

Originally Posted by King87

Was he tiny?

You bet your ass.

"Pelé scored more goals. Lionel Messi has won more trophies. Both have lived more stable lives than the overweight former cocaine addict who tops this list, whose relationship with football became increasingly strained the longer his career continued. If you've seen Diego Maradona with a football at his feet, you'll understand."

— Andrew Murray on Maradona topping FourFourTwo magazine's "100 Greatest Footballers Ever" list, July 2017.[167]

Tiny athletes dominating a sport doesn't really speak well to how good the sport is.

All I know is Ronaldo played against better competition and was a more complete player by all accounts. Plus he wasn't small, so he has to be better.

Soccer's probably the easiest sport to understand.

Originally Posted by King87

Tiny athletes dominating a sport doesn't really speak well to how good the sport is.

All I know is Ronaldo played against better competition and was a more complete player by all accounts. Plus he wasn't small, so he has to be better.

Soccer's probably the easiest sport to understand.

You sound like you'd be good at golf.

Originally Posted by aberdien

You sound like you'd be good at golf.

I don't really like golf. I think it's more of a skill than a sport.