I posted half in jest lol. Clearly both achieved hugely . It's just that I remember Zidane affecting the outcome of the finals more (CL finals and WC's).
I'll just add, that it's really a matter of taste. I'd get up in the middle of the night to watch Zidane play, whereas I'd be happy to just catch highlights of Messi. Whatever floats your boat....
Messi absolutely Destroyed Manchester United in 2009, he ran riot over Juventus last year and was pivotal in that performance, the same in 2010-11.
He decided the game against Bayern, against Milan, against City, the list on. He was the chief creator of chances in the WC for Argentina, the only player who actually had a go in the WC final with only Mascherano putting in an equal performance.
He also won the player of the Tournament in the WC which was deserved although people are still bitter about that.
The world cup he literally passes to Di Maria, Higuain, Lavezzi in the world cup and doesn't receive the ball back because they don't function as a team, the France team ('98) was a better team than Argentinas (2014), the Germany (2014) team was a better team than Argentina in 2014.
It's a team sport, if your players aren't passing back to you there's not much you can do, I think Messi had one chance in that WC final. It's different for Zidané he's a midfielder if he doesn't score but creates some nice passes it's like "well he played well today".
To put 1986 in perspective Maradona finished with 5 goals in the 1986 world cup, 4 coming in 2 different games (Quarters and Semis) Maradona didn't score in the group stages, or the final. Yes it's touted as the best performance at a world cup tournament and rightly so... but he didn't win every game other team mates stepped up in key moments.
Messi finished the 2014 World Cup with 4 goals, he scored his goals in the Group stages, not knock out stages, yet he created key chances throughout the tournament squandered (he won the golden ball which was fully deserved too showing he was the best player at the tournament).
Zidane scored 2 goals in the 1998 world cup final (hardly a better player or more influential).
So the notion of winning a world cup it's a team game, other players didn't "step up" in those games, where-as in the Final in 1986 other players "stepped up" Maradona didn't score that day, likewise other players "stepped up" in 1998 too no player wins a tournament single-handedly it's a team sport.
People immortalise and rationalise past performances, you win you're great, you lose well you obviously you can't be considered great because the team around you didn't play well.
If he is then there should be no reason for Argentina not winning a world Cup with him at CM.
Does he have eyes in the back if his head? Messi can beat any player in front of him - absolutely smashes them but zidane looks like he plays Kung Fu with the football.
I couldn't care less if he passed less, scored less - there's youth at Barcelona who play and called the next messi. There won't be a next zidane.
There won't be a new Messi, because someone is called that doesn't mean they are. You can't create a clone of a person, by the way every promising player out of France is called the next Zidane or Vieira.
Pogba was called the new Zidane.