Nordic Ghost Yeti (Scandi Carroll) | Haaland at City

People give it far too much weight. There are people who genuinely believe Maradona was better than Messi! Almost entirely because of his world cup performances - a few games every four years.

We've got this idea into our heads that the great players are the ones who perform well in the World Cup and nobody else matters. In fact it's probably why Haaland won't be remembered as one of the all time greats.
No.If he won't be remembered as an alltime great, the reason will be similar to Müller. He is a goalpoacher. That is what will limit his status.
 
For longevity and consistency, Messi is way better than Maradona for sure. In terms of talent and football ability, leadership, and as a football player, I am not sure if Messi is better. Maradona played in the era the defense and tackles were completely different than today's standard.
I think that interms of talent, they are pretty much equal. Interns of actual performances Messi > Maradona partly because the later was a druggie.
 
What does that mean FFS? You can't retire from club football to prolong your international career! :lol:

Well you could obviously, you could go and play in a less demanding league, playing fewer games, risking fewer injuries, and saving yourself primarily for your country, by the time someone reaches the point where they may retire from international football to prolong the club career they obviously will have enough money to retire on, so it's just making a choice
 
For the obvious reason that one is a job and a source of income for life while the other is exclusively about glory.

There's also the ability to assess the opportunity cost. Varane didn't quit until after this last World Cup. He knows he will be 33 by the time the next World Cup comes around so it makes sense to call it a day.

I'm talking about when a player reaches their 30s, many retire from international football to play longer at club level, most will have acquired enough money by that point that it shouldn't be a factor, its just when it comes to one or the other in a direct choice, club football is usually what is chosen. Whether that's because of more money or whatever, the question asked was what player chooses club over country and the answer seems to be quite a lot
 
The first two things people think of when talking about Maradona are 2 goals
Unfortunately, what you said in no way invalidates what I said in the post you quoted. The first thing people think about when talking about Zidane is also certain key goals, does that mean he was about goals in the same way as Haaland as well?
 
Well you could obviously, you could go and play in a less demanding league, playing fewer games, risking fewer injuries, and saving yourself primarily for your country, by the time someone reaches the point where they may retire from international football to prolong the club career they obviously will have enough money to retire on, so it's just making a choice
That is not retiring though, is it?
 
Even if he ends up breaking the record. Winning your team the league is what really counts. If he does that then fair enough.
 
That is not retiring though, is it?

Well no, but there comes a point for most players where they feel they can't adequately perform at both club and international level, and 9/10 times the player puts international football aside to continue to play top level club football. Very few prioritise their international career when the choice has to be made
 
Well no, but there comes a point for most players where they feel they can't adequately perform at both club and international level, and 9/10 times the player puts international football aside to continue to play top level club football. Very few prioritise their international career when the choice has to be made
So what you said was factually incorrect
 
So what you said was factually incorrect

No, it wasn't if you want to be a pedantic bore, Zidane played at the 2006 world cup after he'd retired from club football, Shevchenko i believe did the same at the euros, Ronaldo played the most recent world cup as a free agent. There's no rule that you must be playing club football to be selected for your country, players just don't do it, backing up my point because club football is the priority
 
I'm talking about when a player reaches their 30s, many retire from international football to play longer at club level, most will have acquired enough money by that point that it shouldn't be a factor, its just when it comes to one or the other in a direct choice, club football is usually what is chosen. Whether that's because of more money or whatever, the question asked was what player chooses club over country and the answer seems to be quite a lot

How would you stay match fit if all you played were in internationals? It makes no sense this way around.
 
I wish this guy played for anyone but City. Even if he played for a team I hated like Liverpool or Arsenal, I could watch him, be pissed he's playing for our rivals, but still appreciate his talent.

Now that he's gone to city my feelings on him are similar to that of city in general, I just don't care. They are not a team on my radar, never watch, never really pay attention to their results, don't care unless they directly affect United, probably would struggle to tell you what players start for them. I don't hate them, I just don't care, absolutely zero interest, they're a meaningless club, who's success has a big asterisk and will likely be stricken from the books in the near future.

I don't get why players sign for them, and I really hope Bellingham realizes there is more to football than money.
 
How would you stay match fit if all you played were in internationals? It makes no sense this way around.

I don't know, as i said its more likely that someone would take a club role in a league that wasn't demanding, play every other game or the like. But since some pedants have to take everything 100% literally, it is possible to retire and play internationals. But what I really meant was that yiu don't see many players restricting their club duties to a light touch to prioritise their international career, you do see the reverse very often thiugh
 
No, it wasn't if you want to be a pedantic bore, Zidane played at the 2006 world cup after he'd retired from club football, Shevchenko i believe did the same at the euros, Ronaldo played the most recent world cup as a free agent. There's no rule that you must be playing club football to be selected for your country, players just don't do it, backing up my point because club football is the priority
Nothing boring or pedantic, what you said was wrong, that's all.
 
Well no, but there comes a point for most players where they feel they can't adequately perform at both club and international level, and 9/10 times the player puts international football aside to continue to play top level club football. Very few prioritise their international career when the choice has to be made
You can’t just show up for the international breaks you have to be playing regularly to be picked.
 
You can’t just show up for the international breaks you have to be playing regularly to be picked.

Right but you could play in a less demanding league, Ronaldo is getting picked despite being in Saudi Arabia, if Messi goes to America Argentina will still pick him. But most players want to prolong their career at top level club football, even if this means retiring from international footbalk
 
Nothing boring or pedantic, what you said was wrong, that's all.

I said players prioritise their club over internationals, it's obvious that they do. From faking knocks to avoid international breaks, to retiring from international football around the time they turn 30 there's a ton of players who give up international football, rather than limiting their appearances at club level to try and still be able to play for their country
 
Unfortunately, what you said in no way invalidates what I said in the post you quoted. The first thing people think about when talking about Zidane is also certain key goals, does that mean he was about goals in the same way as Haaland as well?
Which goes to show the importance of goals

No of course Maradona wasn't about goals in the same way Haaland is, but it's disingenous to pretend goals aren't one of the biggest if not the biggest factor in his legend
 
Which goes to show the importance of goals

No of course Maradona wasn't about goals in the same way Haaland is, but it's disingenous to pretend goals aren't one of the biggest if not the biggest factor in his legend
This is the only part of your post that makes any sense. The discussion originated when Maradona was cited as a player who is not all about goals (in contrast to Haaland, who basically is). This is why Maradona was routinely called the greatest player of all time despite scoring about one third (or less than half) of the numbers reached by many of the most prolific players in history
 
Right but you could play in a less demanding league, Ronaldo is getting picked despite being in Saudi Arabia, if Messi goes to America Argentina will still pick him. But most players want to prolong their career at top level club football, even if this means retiring from international footbalk
Ah I see fair enough.
I think that would probably only work for genuine superstars though.
If Henderson for example went and played in the US no chance he is getting picked for England.
 
Ah I see fair enough.
I think that would probably only work for genuine superstars though.
If Henderson for example went and played in the US no chance he is getting picked for England.

I mean, I guess it depends on the quality of thr player and the nation. But, again that's another reason that players prioritise club football, it's the highest level, and best competition.

I'd maybe accept that international success might mean more, but I'd wager that's down to the scarcity rather than players genuinely preferring it. If the champions league was once every 4 years, it would mean as much as a world cup
 
I feel you're mixing things up. It occassionally happens that an aging superstar can still play for his NT, once he is too old for his former contracts at club level. That doesn't mean he actively retreats from his club and rejects a contract in favor of his NT career.

On the subject itself: there have always been players that value NT more, and vice versa. Still world cups are rare and their prestige is far higher than any other cup or title.
 
I think that interms of talent, they are pretty much equal. Interns of actual performances Messi > Maradona partly because the later was a druggie.

Even if we give them about the same score in most things, Messi is a better finisher/goalscorer though.
 
I mean, I guess it depends on the quality of thr player and the nation. But, again that's another reason that players prioritise club football, it's the highest level, and best competition.

I'd maybe accept that international success might mean more, but I'd wager that's down to the scarcity rather than players genuinely preferring it. If the champions league was once every 4 years, it would mean as much as a world cup
No, the World Cup is the biggest and most prestigious trophy in the sport. Not just because of scarcity but because of history, of what it means to a country, the fact that it is by far the most globally viewed competition etc. etc.

This is the way it has always been and the way it will always be, despite your best efforts to pretend that this is not the case.
 
No, the World Cup is the biggest and most prestigious trophy in the sport. Not just because of scarcity but because of history, of what it means to a country etc. etc.

This is the way it has always been and the way it will always be, despite your best efforts to pretend that this is not the case.

If the World Cup was played every year it wouldn't mean that much, no matter how much you want to pretend
 
If the World Cup was played every year it wouldn't mean that much, no matter how much you want to pretend
Well we have no way of knowing that do we? Again, I am dealing with facts, you are dealing with fantasy.
 
Well we have no way of knowing that do we? Again, I am dealing with facts, you are dealing with fantasy.

How are you dealing with facts? You said the prestige of the world cup has nothing to do with only being played every 4 years, that's not a fact, that's an opinion
 
No, the World Cup is the biggest and most prestigious trophy in the sport. Not just because of scarcity but because of history, of what it means to a country, the fact that it is by far the most globally viewed competition etc. etc.

This is the way it has always been and the way it will always be, despite your best efforts to pretend that this is not the case.

Well of course. The World Cup plays the biggest part in a lot of the GOATS resumes. Where would Pele be without his World Cups? Where would Diego rank without 86? Give a European Cup with Napoli instead and it is regarded as far less. Messi's World Cup elevates him far more than winning a CL with PSG, without doubt. Ronaldo Nazario would never swap his WC for a single CL that he never won. There are clear levels in prestige here.
 
How are you dealing with facts? You said the prestige of the world cup has nothing to do with only being played every 4 years, that's not a fact, that's an opinion
I'm dealing with facts because the World Cup is the biggest tournament (by far) and that is a fact that you are struggling to deal with for some strange reason. And I didn't say 'nothing to do with', read my post again.

Of the 20 most watched football matches in the history of UK television, 15 were international matches. Top is obviously the World Cup final in 66. Second is the Euros final in 2021, which was watched by more people than have ever watched any club match in this country ever.
 
I mean, I guess it depends on the quality of thr player and the nation. But, again that's another reason that players prioritise club football, it's the highest level, and best competition.

I'd maybe accept that international success might mean more, but I'd wager that's down to the scarcity rather than players genuinely preferring it. If the champions league was once every 4 years, it would mean as much as a world cup

And if... was this and that was that... etc etc

It simply isn't thought. The World Cup is the biggest thing in football out there by miles, has been and still is. You keep going on about 'international breaks', the lack of interest, like people take so much interest in the Champions League qualifiers or the early rounds of the Worthless Cup or whatever it's called nowadays.
 
I'm dealing with facts because the World Cup is the biggest tournament (by far) and that is a fact that you are struggling to deal with for some strange reason. And I didn't say 'nothing to do with', read my post again.

Of the 20 most watched football matches in the history of UK television, 15 were international matches. Top is obviously the World Cup final in 66. Second is the Euros final in 2021, which was watched by more people than have ever watched any club match in this country ever.

Hmm, I wonder why free to air matches might well be watched by more people than games on pay channels. And obviously an international match will be watched by more in a country, since fans of all the club sides will be fans of that country that doesn't make it a bigger match

Look how many viewers the champions league finals, or the clasicos when Messi and Ronaldo were at Barca, but those matches aren't free to air, unlike the world cup in most countries
 
Hmm, I wonder why free to air matches might well be watched by more people than games on pay channels. And obviously an international match will be watched by more in a country, since fans of all the club sides will be fans of that country that doesn't make it a bigger match

Look how many viewers the champions league finals, or the clasicos when Messi and Ronaldo were at Barca, but those matches aren't free to air, unlike the world cup in most countries
Erm, yes it does. That's literally the reason why it's a bigger match, coupled with all the people that watch who usually have no interest in football (who wouldn't bother watching the champions league final for example).

Also the list contains matches over the last 60 years, and there have been plenty of club matches in that time which were free to air.
 
I'm dealing with facts because the World Cup is the biggest tournament (by far) and that is a fact that you are struggling to deal with for some strange reason. And I didn't say 'nothing to do with', read my post again.

Of the 20 most watched football matches in the history of UK television, 15 were international matches. Top is obviously the World Cup final in 66. Second is the Euros final in 2021, which was watched by more people than have ever watched any club match in this country ever.

i think you are underestimating the impact of dirty den at Christmas…..
 
I'm talking about when a player reaches their 30s, many retire from international football to play longer at club level, most will have acquired enough money by that point that it shouldn't be a factor, its just when it comes to one or the other in a direct choice, club football is usually what is chosen. Whether that's because of more money or whatever, the question asked was what player chooses club over country and the answer seems to be quite a lot
There is no international football without club football but the reverse is not true. Most footballers want to keep playing club football because they want to keep earning money in what is a short career on top of money never being enough. Plus they don't know what they would do if they weren't playing.