Not quite, some were some weren't. Messi and Ronaldo both have super strong legs. They now have the gym technology and personal trainers to actually develop leg muscles effectively today than in the 80's and 90's. I don't agree with this "truely talented" malarchy. Nostalgia plays tricks with the mind and everyone just claims "if they played in the 80's 90's they were better. You do remember The scum with Souness et al were a top team in that era right? And surely if they had to protect themselves from rough tackles, they would be focusing on the physical side? The fact is, it is and always will be a cultural thing. In Spain from a young age players will work on the technical aspects; keeping the ball, passing, 1st touch etc today, just like they did in the 90's. It won't change. The only difference is rather than going to the pub after training, players go to the gym. Germany and France are probably similar. The only exception are countries like England who still value the fitness//stamina side higher. So I don't see how back then they would have worked harder on creativity and technique. You do realise creativity is also a more natural aspect also? It's something natural, individual and instinctive. Its difficult to work hard on being creative.
English football had improved radically during the past 3 decades. Although I feel that it had peaked around 5-6 years ago and is currently on the decline.
Having said that, top quality football was not played in England but mostly in Spain and especially in Italy. You had a silly situation were even the smallest of Serie A sides could afford 1-2 world class players as absolute beasts like Batistuta, Maradona, Careca, Dunga, Gazza and Hagi who could easily walk into the best of the current sides were playing with small teams like Fiorentina, Napoli, Lazio and Brescia. The level was so high that the likes of Gazza, Laudrup, Bergkamp and Rush had failed to make any impact there and were sold off. Some of them are still ridiculed to this very day because of it.
I stick to what I said. Nowadays football is more about athletes, players who can run for the entire 90 minutes without showing any hint of tiredness while in the past it was all about technique, leadership, football brains and pure talent. I challenge you to mention 25-27 year old players who have the potential to become as good as Maldini, Baresi, Maradona, Van Basten, Zanetti etc.