I don't think Mbappe 2018 was that great to be honest. Zidane was in 2006 but Messi definitely has that kind of performance in him. He's probably still better than the best version of Zidane becuase he's just as much of a creative beast while scoring much more than him and being a more proficient dribbler. As you said, Messi is held to the standards he set himself in his younger years. And everybody would fall short against that benchmark.
Lionel Messi | PSG Watch
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I don't think Mbappe 2018 was that great to be honest. Zidane was in 2006 but Messi definitely has that kind of performance in him. He's probably still better than the best version of Zidane becuase he's just as much of a creative beast while scoring much more than him and being a more proficient dribbler. As you said, Messi is held to the standards he set himself in his younger years. And everybody would fall short against that benchmark.
No I don't think the decline is magnified. Messi has had some sublime assists this season and he still has his passing and vision, but because of his age, he is really slow, gives the ball away more, a lot of his game doesn't really come off. He is doing pretty well this season considering his age, but I'm just not sure I'd put him up there with the top 10 players in the world where some have him.
Which are the top 10 players in the world right now?
The problem is that Messi is playing in Ligue 1.
I love Messi, but if we include Ligue 1 performances for the top 10, no reason to keep away Dimitri Payet, who had a magnificent season with Marseille.
For example, Messi performances in Europe with PSG have been far from what he showed in Ligue 1.
If we still think he is top 10 based solely on Ligue 1 performances, but keep Dimitri Payet out of the list when he was great in Ligue 1 as well(and playing for a much weaker team than PSG)... sounds kinda biased to me.
Rather just form a top 10 with only players from top 4 leagues, i would make an exception with Neymar (who has been PSG's best player in Europe)
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My list:
1. Messi
2. Pele
3. Maradona
4. Cristiano
5. Cruijff
5. Backenbauer
7. Luis Ronaldo
I did not see Pele play but im ranking him based on what people who saw him play say about him (which can be taken with a pinch of salt since overtime myths are created about many footballers).
I rank Cristiano 4th based on the positives of longevity and success, both individual and collective with the negatives of lacking the magic that some of the others on the list have.
IReally????
Thats fair enough. I rarely debate these types of lists because after that top three, I think it’s hugely subjective. But I did admire your inclusion of Beckenbaur. Someone else posted in this thread that he was often overlooked for these things and shouldn’t be, and it is hard to argue with that. I can see your argument for Cristiano’s placing. It’s not one that weighs as heavily for me, but I can totally see the logic. As for the ordering of the top 3, again, pretty hard to argue. Can really go in any order and I wouldn’t argue it.
Bundesliga and Serie a are currently not at a good level either.
As for the ucl, PSG have played twice this season. Granted he did not have a good game vs Juve but as the game vs Maccabi progressed, Messi was their best player. The whole team had struggled before then.
People need to accept that Messi is playing more as a classic no 10 at PSG with high risk creative passing his main weapon while dribbling being done when needed. Playing deeper, he also has to score from more difficult chances so his goal output is bound to be lower especially when Mbappe plays.
As an argentinian I obviously prefer Messi, but both were amazing (and unique) players and we can count ourselves lucky that we got to watch them on their prime.
I prefer Messi's dribbling style over Ronaldo's though.
I prefer Messi's dribbling style over Ronaldo's though.
Another great goal. Brilliant free kick. Is he back?
Exquisite Free Kick
Congrats to him on figuring out how to score in the Uber Eats league. Only took him a year.
painful?
Gooood, goooood. Let the bitterness and hatred flow through you.
Top 3 in the world at the moment.
His greatness shines through.
His greatness shines through.
And what about all the assist from last season? Conveniently forgetting those? Or do only goals count?
20+ goals and 20+ assists so far this calendar year in all comps.
Not bitter at all. I was incredibly bitter when he scored against us in both those CL finals. Now he’s washed so I don’t really care tbh, plus its Ligue 1, who cares? I honestly expected him to age really well because he is the most skilled footballer in history in my opinion, the passing range and dribbling are like none other in history. Thought he would be able to drop deeper and adapt but his decline has been fast and steep.
He has been fantastic on the ball today, some great passes and rolling back the years with some mazy dribbles (he won the free kick that he scored from with one).
So you’re saying he had a good year last year? Hahah
He was shite last season. Looked sluggish and easy to stop.
Any half decent playmaker would get bucketloads of assists with Mbappe in that league. Mbappe increases the margin for error allowed.
There's a reason why Messi struggled to do anything in the round of 16 game against Real.
He'll have the last laugh when Messi gets embarassed in the CL knockouts yet again. We'll see who cries and how hard then.Cry harder
His PR team has done a terrific job. We have brainwashed fanboys now trying to twist facts and present his last season at PSG as a success FFS.
You care enough to go into his thread to make a dampening comment about him scoring an excellent freekick that probably would have gone in regardless of the team he faces.
Fine, maybe you're not bitter - but I'll never understand comments such as these in response to a goal like this. If he played a masterclass and people are waxing lyrical about how he's the second coming of 11/12 Messi, then fine - dampen down the hype. But it's a freekick goal, where two posters made a remark on how good the freekick was.
If it's not bitterness, then it's just a rather unnecessary response.
another bleeding butt says presentHe was shite last season. Looked sluggish and easy to stop.
Any half decent playmaker would get bucketloads of assists with Mbappe in that league. Mbappe increases the margin for error allowed.
There's a reason why Messi struggled to do anything in the round of 16 game against Real.
He'll have the last laugh when Messi gets embarassed in the CL knockouts yet again. We'll see who cries and how hard then.
His PR team has done a terrific job. We have brainwashed fanboys now trying to twist facts and present his last season at PSG as a success FFS.
Another gormless fanboy gets butthurt about the bitter truth.
besides i couldn’t care less about what happens now in CL he’s already the Goat by a large margin, except for some lunatics buttdestroyed who I don’t give their names to protect them.He was shite last season. Looked sluggish and easy to stop.
Any half decent playmaker would get bucketloads of assists with Mbappe in that league. Mbappe increases the margin for error allowed.
There's a reason why Messi struggled to do anything in the round of 16 game against Real.
He'll have the last laugh when Messi gets embarassed in the CL knockouts yet again. We'll see who cries and how hard then.
His PR team has done a terrific job. We have brainwashed fanboys now trying to twist facts and present his last season at PSG as a success FFS.
Could just enjoy watching such a player rather than sounding pathetic in a forum.
Sounding pathetic because of stating the obvious fact that your guy was shite last season?
Not everybody has to enjoy what you supposedly enjoy although you're here defending him and getting triggered at posts so I doubt you're "enjoying" him....
besides i couldn’t care less about what happens now in CL he’s already the Goat by a large margin, except for some lunatics buttdestroyed who I don’t give their names to protect them.
"Couldn't care less".....well that's exactly the response and logic you expect from that fanbase. Thanks for illustrating that once again.
Enjoy watching the Paris game. Cheers.
He's good but how many goals has he scored against horsechoker?
Not saying he wasn't poor last season and not even defending him. Just comments like yours are completely unnecessary. Channel your anger at something elseSounding pathetic because of stating the obvious fact that your guy was shite last season?
Not everybody has to enjoy what you supposedly enjoy although you're here defending him and getting triggered at posts so I doubt you're "enjoying" him....
on a rainy night.
not buttdestroyed but comes to a Messi post a second after he scores a beautiful goal.Sounding pathetic because of stating the obvious fact that your guy was shite last season?
Not everybody has to enjoy what you supposedly enjoy although you're here defending him and getting triggered at posts so I doubt you're "enjoying" him....
"Couldn't care less".....well that's exactly the response and logic you expect from that fanbase. Thanks for illustrating that once again.
Enjoy watching the Paris game. Cheers.
He was poor last season, re-adjusted himself and plays like all around team player at the age of 35, both for the club and for the country, long may it lasts!
@TenonTen We do not talk about last season here.
2 Ronaldo fanboys so fecking bitter that they are shitting bitterness, pissing bitterness and sweating bitterness. Unnecessary comments absolutely reflect their bitterness.He was shite last season. Looked sluggish and easy to stop.
Any half decent playmaker would get bucketloads of assists with Mbappe in that league. Mbappe increases the margin for error allowed.
There's a reason why Messi struggled to do anything in the round of 16 game against Real.
He'll have the last laugh when Messi gets embarassed in the CL knockouts yet again. We'll see who cries and how hard then.
His PR team has done a terrific job. We have brainwashed fanboys now trying to twist facts and present his last season at PSG as a success FFS.
I’m a ManUtd fan. Ronaldo plays for us. Messi doesn’t…….
Typical simpleton logic and reasoning(not unexpected though).
"Has dared to mention that Messi was poor last season so must be a Ronaldo fan."
Just so you know: couldn't care less about Ronaldo either and he's washed up too.
You know what is extremely unnecessary? The cute little attempts to brainwash people by presenting Messi's last season as a success. There were jokes about Fred in the PL outscoring Messi in the Ligue 1 for most of the season FFS. He was embarassing last season. As are the people trying to depict last season as a success in any shape or form. Stop lying to yourself.
"Outscoring"
Like if thats the only way to measure a player like Messi. Thats brainwashing, believing goals it's the only metric in football. Many dont even see games, only numbers in your favorite app.
Like if thats the only way to measure a player like Messi. Thats brainwashing, believing goals it's the only metric in football. Many dont even see games, only numbers in your favorite app.
The top 10 is always going to be subjective. There have been so many gifted players it is easy to overlook one like Beckenbauer. It goes down to preferences eventually.
For me R9 is at the top of that list. He never has the career CR7 or Messi had hence not as successful, but that dude at the age of 20 was scoring 40 goals in la liga in a time talent was more fairly distributed across teams. IF Ronaldo stayed healthy he would have been the best of the best. Those pre ACL years paint him in my eyes as a mixture of Messi and CR7. He was as technically gifted as Messi and probably more explosive and athletic than the Portuguese.
Doesn't matter. Messi should still be scoring way more goals than a bang average CM playing in a much tougher league.
Messi can't be a proper midfielder because of his sheer incompetence off the ball.
Having goal contributions is very important for a player like Messi. Can't run away from that.
He's not a deep lying playmaker or CM. He's a forward FFS.
This is why once his output went down, it has become nearly impossible to win CLs with him. Against the top team that attitude only works when you keep producing amazing output. Messi's declining potency against tougher sides has been evident for years now. People are too quick to forget that he also missed a penalty against Madrid at a very crucial point last season.
Messi can't be a proper midfielder because of his sheer incompetence off the ball.
Having goal contributions is very important for a player like Messi. Can't run away from that.
He's not a deep lying playmaker or CM. He's a forward FFS.
This is why once his output went down, it has become nearly impossible to win CLs with him. Against the top team that attitude only works when you keep producing amazing output. Messi's declining potency against tougher sides has been evident for years now. People are too quick to forget that he also missed a penalty against Madrid at a very crucial point last season.