Lionel Messi - Performances

Would be hilarious if he doesn't even get a goal in the tournament
 
Cheesy said:
I'd still argue his performances in 2014 were slightly overrated - he was very good at points but not quite at his very best overall. But yeah, was a fairly strong WC overall from him.
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I don’t think he was anything special that year. Very good, but short of greatness. Him winning the Golden Ball was deemed almost farcical and I think most agreed he won it because he was Messi rather than one of the best two or three players at the tournament.
 
Cheesy said:
This current Croatia side is better than the current Argentina mob as an overall side, I'd argue. And while he's been surrounded by quality, there's been plenty of occasions where Messi has elevated abject Barca performances into something more to get them all three points.
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The point is though, the Portuguese squad is probably on a whole worse than the Argentinian squad yet Ronaldo has the balls to step up.
 
It's sad that some people actually take satisfaction in seeing one of the greatest ever players getting knocked out of the world cup.
 
Dr. StrangeHate said:
M

Messi has been static in this match. If you think Messi is a static player then you have never watched his career.
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He's been static for a while now. Its why Paulinho was so crucial for then.
Its not 2014 anymore buddy
Barca being able to build around it doesn't mean it isn't so.
 
Revan said:
Poor guy. Not his fault for being born in Saudi Arabia, a country which is shit at football.
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Argentina are actually a country that lives on reputation, their midfielders and defenders are wank, no decent club want them. They have a bunch of very talented attacking players but you don't play football with 5 strikers and 5 wingers.
 
sport2793 said:
Ronaldo won the Euros with Portugal which is a greater achievement in my book. In my opinion there shouldn't be a debate on who's had the better international career as it's definitely Ronaldo.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Ronaldo is the greater player as Messi's exploits at the club level are arguably unmatched. But it's a factor.
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Winning the Euros was undoubtedly impressive but I'd argue that was as much down to Portugal's defence as it was Ronaldo individually - they only won one match in normal time throughout the whole tournament and only against Wales did they win by more than a goal. Ronaldo had an excellent tournament but wouldn't say it's at all decisive.
 
Half of a defence of him by the commentators there saying no one else on his team is on his level, but he's been absolutely abysmal this tournament and missed a penalty to win a match.

No criticism for Messi?
 
Dr. StrangeHate said:
He dragged his team to final in 2014, something which Ronaldo has never done.
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Honesty u are retarded, did u even watched the world cup? Mascherano dragged them to final, Messi did nothing.

And Ronaldo won them Euro, Messi didn't even win 1 trophy with Argentenia
 
InLevyITrust said:
The point is though, the Portuguese squad is probably on a whole worse than the Argentinian squad yet Ronaldo has the balls to step up.
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No it isn't, this current Portugal side is not worse than this Argentina one. Not at all.:lol:
 
Cheesy said:
I'd still argue his performances in 2014 were slightly overrated - he was very good at points but not quite at his very best overall. But yeah, was a fairly strong WC overall from him.
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I agree they were slightly overrated, but he did play a role in dragging them through the group stage when they didn't look like they deserved to go through. Argentina was one woeful Higuain miss from winning the WC 2014. It's funny to think about how much that miss may come to define (and already has defined) this debate and Messi's legacy.
 
Dr. StrangeHate said:
I know people are going to be put the blame on Messi but no player could save this team. Heck put Maradona and Pele in this team and the ball will never get to them.
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Never the less this has been a really bad World Cup for Messi. A missed penalty and another invisible performance.

I think it is alright to blame him. To be fair they'd still have a chance if he hadn't missed that penalty.
 
Argentina is awful but if those things that were being told about Sampaoli "all about Messi" etc, then Messi's got to carry that blame too. He has the power to change it but does not know how to use it.
 
Rado_N said:
No he didn't.
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He kind of actually did....and some random decent defensive units. But practically everything attacking came through him, and teams concentrating more on shutting him down allowed to them endless 0-0's.

Brutal though, this was Algeria levels of bad for Argentina, tactically naive.
 
Caballero had more touches that Messi in the first half. He's been poor in the first two matches, some will try to blame his teammates, managers etc but when you are one of the game's greatest players, then you should drag your team through these matches.
 
Chiken138 said:
Honesty u are retarded, did u even watched the world cup? Mascherano dragged them to final, Messi did nothing.

And Ronaldo won them Euro, Messi didn't even win 1 trophy with Argentenia
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You're the one with the text speech buddy.
 
Cheesy said:
No it isn't, this current Portugal side is not worse than this Argentina one. Not at all.:lol:
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In terms of players available, yes it is. Banega - Mascherano is better than Moutinho - Carvalho, Di Maria / Aguero / Higuan / Dybala are all better than any of Portugal's options. Only the GK and central defenders are worse.
 
Zen said:
He kind of actually did....and some random decent defensive units. But practically everything attacking came through him, and teams concentrating more on shutting him down allowed to them endless 0-0's.

Brutal though, this was Algeria levels of bad for Argentina, tactically naive.
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He really didn't. His performance in that tournament is hugely overrated.
 
TMDaines said:
I don’t think he was anything special that year. Very good, but short of greatness. Him winning the Golden Ball was deemed almost farcical and I think most agreed he won it because he was Messi rather than one of the best two or three players at the tournament.
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I'd say farcical is a push - he didn't deserve it I don't think but was still clearly very good. Should've maybe gone to Muller or Rodriguez but I don't remember there being a single outstanding candidate for the award.
 
Cheesy said:
This current Croatia side is better than the current Argentina mob as an overall side, I'd argue. And while he's been surrounded by quality, there's been plenty of occasions where Messi has elevated abject Barca performances into something more to get them all three points.
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Don't disagree... but to be the GOAT of GOATS, you've got to do something amazing at a WC (a la Maradona) or something decent in more than one?

You won't find one post from me (not ONE) ever saying Messi is not a great player and beautiful to watch (we have been honoured) but I struggle with him being No.1 given his national performances (some group goals/no knockout goals in 2014 doesn't do it for me).
 
He's wishing he missed the world cup through injury right about now. Honestly he didn't show anywhere near enough commitment and determination from the get go. Technical ability isn't all that goes into making a great player.
 
Too busy sulking to drag his team mates to anything.
Too used to being a cog in a well oiled Barca machine
 
InLevyITrust said:
The point is though, the Portuguese squad is probably on a whole worse than the Argentinian squad yet Ronaldo has the balls to step up.
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It isn't.

Patricio is better than any Argentine goalkeeper.

Portugal's defence is better than Argentina's defence.

Portugal's midfield is better than Argentina's midfield. Moutinho, Carvalho etc would walk into that Argentine side.

The only area where Argentina trump Portugal is in the attacking third but even as long as Portugal have Ronaldo they're set there too.
 
AndyJ1985 said:
It's sad that some people actually take satisfaction in seeing one of the greatest ever players getting knocked out of the world cup.
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What's worse or hoping a player who can't be fecked to even run gets through just because of who he is.
 
JPRouve said:
Argentina are actually a country that lives on reputation, their midfielders and defenders are wank, no decent club want them. They have a bunch of very talented attacking players but you don't play football with 5 strikers and 5 wingers.
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There are many teams who are doing much more with far less though.
 
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