Why do you keep asking questions that you already know the answer to? I don't know, it's my opinion. (deja-vu)
If it is YOUR opinion, then why do feel the need to tell me that I should stick to basketball if I don't agree with you??
It is. Special talents have existed throughout the generations. Special talents that would stand out in any generation. Di Stefano, Pele, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Platini et al are geniuses that would rip these leagues apart just as Messi is doing. They're not standing out above their generation, they still stand head and shoulders above the "1000,000" - that's a million by the way - players of today. Well, the 999,999 players. Messi might just sneak in there alongside them. If you watched enough of them you'd see that. If you have watched them and can't see that then you're better off sticking to basketball.
About 25 games from the ages of 21-30. Seen him score back-to-back hat-tricks in a World Cup, seen him score back-to-back goals in International tournament finals, seem him score back-to-back goals in European Cup finals...the list goes on and on. He was special. In the same way people in 50 years time will be able to tell Ronaldo was a special player from just watching him in WC '98, or Zidane from watching him in Euro '00, or Messi from simply watching him in his European Cup finals or...well, the point's pretty clear. It doesn't take someone with incredible insight into the game to watch these players and see that they're special.
The fundamental qualities of a great player has always been and always will be the same. Intelligence (vision, awareness), technique (first touch, passing, close control, dribbling, shooting, finishing), physique (pace, power, balance, leap), mentality (composure, big-game performances, consistency). Most of these things are easy to see after just watching a few games of any player, past or present, no matter what conditions he's playing in.
If you think you know how a player would fare in another era by watching him for 25 games, then you know nothing about football, or you're the best da*n scout the history of football ever knew. Anyway, after watching you describe Muller in a way that makes him look like the impossible player, let me show you those 14 goals Muller scored in the world cup..
Just three words, are you serious?!
What did Muller do there that Van Nistelrooy can't do?? Dare I say Inzaghi?
I appreciate that those were the best players in
that generation, and I appreciate if you're a 60 year old who watched them live at the time (which I doubt) and got attached to them which makes it difficult for you to accept that the modern players are better than them. But, come on! You can't call ME blind!
I've no idea why you'd want to fiercely debate something like this without having even watched the player in question.
You think I haven't watched him play???
I guarantee you'd have a lot less questions. It's axiomatic. Yet your whole argument has nothing to do with the actual players, it's just some strange argument based on loose logic which adds nothing to the debate. You have people who know the game inside-out who have watched all of these players across generation after generation and they all say that these were unbelievable players, players that would excel in any generation because their talent just isn't seen very often, even with a 1000x bigger talent pool. It's great that you're one for sticking to your own opinions but when your opinions are based on such loose arguments...well, at what point does it just become blind ignorance? Honestly, if you care that much then just watch them. Otherwise I don't see the point in even involving yourself in argument.
This debate is not pointless. It's a legitimate comparison between football across the generations. You got mad because you seem to feel strongly about the older generation (for some reason), and while you stress that you must have an opinion of your own, you call other people having other opinions "ignorant" or "blind".
I gave my opinion about the comparison between football now and back then, I gave you the reason why it's much better now than back then.. I showed you a clip of the Magic Muller, in which he didn't look really all that "magic", while all you did was repeat silly statements like "players that would excel in any generation because their talent just isn't seen very often, even with a 1000x bigger talent pool."
And since you once again consult the opinion of other people, then I tell you, of course they will only have words of praise for the older generation, out of respect, and because they want to give football a better picture (sports live off its legends!). In fact, I'm not even belittling what those great players achieved in the past, but that doesn't change the fact that football now is much better, and it's much more difficult now to score 80+ goals in one year than back then..
