World Cup 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup FINAL (ARGENTINA CHAMPIONS)

[Sausages]

There will always be debate about who the GOAT is and Messi is now absolutely at the heart of the conversation.

I'd be quite happy to nominate Maradona and Messi as joint GOATs but if I had to pick one, I'd go with Diego.

I've already seen articles proclaiming Messi as the undisputed GOAT but that just illustrates how quickly people forget about past greats.

There is one outstanding reason why I'd place Diego above - and only just above - Lionel:
Maradona almost single-handedly led Napoli to two championships in what was the best and most competitive league at the time - Serie A. A significant point to make note of is that Napoli were a mid-table side before Diego joined them. The modern equivalent in the EPL - the best league these days - would be for a player to join, say, West Ham, and lead them to two EPL titles.

Messi, on the other hand, has only ever played for teams that were full of stars and have therefore been dominant in their respective leagues at the time - Barcelona in La Liga and Paris St Germain in Ligue 1.

Youngsters - including young journalists - these days don't seem to realise just how good Maradona was. Perhaps a look back at two of the greatest goals in World Cup history might be helpful:
1986 Quarter-Final against England:
Maradona wonder goal v England Mexico 86 - Víctor Hugo Morales commentary - HD
1986 Semi-Final against Belgium:
Diego Maradona vs Belgium - WC Mexico 1986 #GreatestWorldCupGoals

Look, it is very subjective, let's agree to start with.

Football in the late 80's and Maradona bear further examination though.

Sure, there were "mega-clubs", insofar as many things went undocumented re: player payments. And Maradona wasn't the type to do things anyone's way but his, let's recall. It's difficult to argue he was a team player, but perhaps he didn't need to be.

What he needed was a club who would do it his way - hence why other big clubs were wary of him. Plus, he came with baggage.

Napoli never got to a CL final - back then, domestic success > CL success, but that all changed.

Messi has contended with the expectation of club domestic, club int'l and country intl success for almost a decade. I wonder if Maradona could, even with modern fitness standards, demonstrate the mental fortitude to get up so often and deliver at least as often as not (as shown by Messi's career MoM stats, which shows he has won about 51%).

All other things aside, he gets my nod simply because he has demonstrated utmost professionalism at most times, certainly as regards his personal habits anyway. And he has been prepared to work for the team rather than his own glory.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

If there was a award for flog of the tournament
Martinez would win it, something about him that
Shits me.

It's the gooner in him.

 

[Bradesmaen]

And France were outplayed by us for part of the game too.. it's almost like games go through patches of momentum.

That was my point

 

[SM]

That was my point

Except that the initial point about France being outplayed over a few games was a reasonable one, contrasting that with Argentina being outplayed against Australia for a portion of the game (which portion by the way?) is not the same thing.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Except that the initial point about France being outplayed over a few games was a reasonable one, contrasting that with Argentina being outplayed against Australia for a portion of the game (which portion by the way?) is not the same thing.

Sure.

 

[sosos]

It's the gooner in him.

Only became a flog when he left. Pretty sure.

 

[Dump Truck]

Argentina and Cats in one year.

I reckon by 3084 I might see the Freo/Tottenham double!

 

[Northalives]

Another World Cup and more stories to tell our children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Every World Cup has it's stories and dramas and so will the next one and the ones after that one.

I hope everyone enjoyed this edition of the World Cup; I certainly did.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

I reckon by 3084 I might see the Freo/Tottenham double!

Hopefully you get to see them soon. I'm lucky to have seen my teams win in my lifetime.

 

[010203]

I thought the ref had a very good game this morning. Didn't really notice him and that was the case before the game burst into life with about 10 to go. Argentina have now won 3 consecutive penalty shootouts in World Cups while France have now lost two World Cup Finals via a penalty shootout.

Argentina's reaction when they won the shootout was more relief than joy: they would have felt like they were going to win the match in normal, then again in extra time and it took until penalties for them to finally be crowned world champions for the 3rd time.

All the talk pre tournament around Argentina was whether or not he could lead them to World Cup glory like Maradona did in 1986. Funnily enough, when Argentina beat West Germany in the 1986 final, they went 2-0 up, West Germany levelled the match at 2-2 at the end of the 90 minutes and Argentina scored in extra time to win that final 3-2. Until Mbappe completed his hat trick, this final looked to be going down the same track as the 86 finale.

I thought Martin Tyler's commentary of the final was pretty good but at the same time this was one World Cup too many for one of the great commentators of any football code. His more measured, understated style never really bothered me but his call of Cameroon's comeback against Serbia was a shocker and illustrated how tough it can be for a 77 year old to commentate by himself for 90 minutes plus, do so enthusiastically and do the big moments justice.

 

[unitedhawk]

I do not disagree with that but the flip side is Maradona could not make it at Barca or any mega club for that matter.

It is an argument that can never be settled.

I think this World Cup does settle the Messi v Ronaldo debate. Messi already had it but this is the coronation.

I'm pretty sure Maradona was battling injury concerns during his two seasons at Barca. As a result, he only played 36 league games for them but still managed to score 22 goals.

Agree re Messi v Ronaldo. It's no longer a debate.

 

[unitedhawk]

Look, it is very subjective, let's agree to start with.

Football in the late 80's and Maradona bear further examination though.

Sure, there were "mega-clubs", insofar as many things went undocumented re: player payments. And Maradona wasn't the type to do things anyone's way but his, let's recall. It's difficult to argue he was a team player, but perhaps he didn't need to be.

What he needed was a club who would do it his way - hence why other big clubs were wary of him. Plus, he came with baggage.

Napoli never got to a CL final - back then, domestic success > CL success, but that all changed.

Messi has contended with the expectation of club domestic, club int'l and country intl success for almost a decade. I wonder if Maradona could, even with modern fitness standards, demonstrate the mental fortitude to get up so often and deliver at least as often as not (as shown by Messi's career MoM stats, which shows he has won about 51%).

All other things aside, he gets my nod simply because he has demonstrated utmost professionalism at most times, certainly as regards his personal habits anyway. And he has been prepared to work for the team rather than his own glory.

You make some very good points that I can't disagree with.

Agree that Messi is far more a team player and all-round better bloke than Maradona was - and Ronaldo is for that matter.

We'll just have to agree to disagree about our opinions on the (marginally) better player between two of the all-time greats of any sport - not just football.

 

[Northalives]

You make some very good points that I can't disagree with.

Agree that Messi is far more a team player and all-round better bloke than Maradona was - and Ronaldo is for that matter.

We'll just have to agree to disagree about our opinions on the (marginally) better player between two of the all-time greats of any sport - not just football.

A better team player than Maradona!!! You've got to be kidding!! This Argentinian team was no better than the three that represented the country at the three previous World Cups, it's just that this time, they played with 11 men and not ten which they did for most of the time at the last three World Cups!

Messi did more running and made himself available more times to his hard working, never-say-die teammates at this World Cup than he did in the past three World Cups combined!

Who will ever forget the great team-man Messi, as the captain, sulking and brooding and hiding in the game that Barcelona got belted and then throwing his team mates under the bus and walking out on the club and team mates who made it possible for him to get the adulation that he does. The poor *s in the Barca side had finally blown a gasket for club and for Messi and the * just walked out.

Get a grip people!

 

[SM]

A better team player than Maradona!!! You've got to be kidding!! This Argentinian team was no better than the three that represented the country at the three previous World Cups, it's just that this time, they played with 11 men and not ten which they did for most of the time at the last three World Cups!

Messi did more running and made himself available more times to his hard working, never-say-teammates at this World Cup than he did in the past three World Cups combined!

Who will ever forget the great team-man Messi, as the captain, sulking and brooding and hiding in the game that Barcelona got belted and then throwing his team mates under the bus and walking out on the club and team mates who made it possible for him to get the adulation that he does. The poor *s in the Barca side had finally blown a gasket for club and for Messi and the * just walked out.

Get a grip people!

You have a strange agenda.

 

[Northalives]

I'm pretty sure Maradona was battling injury concerns during his two seasons at Barca. As a result, he only played 36 league games for them but still managed to score 22 goals.

Agree re Messi v Ronaldo. It's no longer a debate.

You know, it can be quite unfair to compare great players of the past with those of the present. What is not in question though, I believe, is that the great players of the past would be great players in the present and most of the great players of today would still be great players in the past although the way the games were refereed, some would not have lasted anywhere near as long as they do now.

Given how technically gifted Messi is and how, rightly so, referees protect players now, (maybe protect is not the right word, but refereeing to the spirit of the game and not allowing butchers to carry on trying to maim is probably a better description), given the way the game is now played and is now living up to it's moniker of the "beautiful game", the players of the past would love it and be in the game for far longer. For players like Messi though, playing in the past, say in Maradona's era, he'd have been crippled in no time and that is NOT a criticism of Messi.

Maradona's treatment by opponents in Spain was criminal. People should get on to YouTube and have a look at the viciousness and deliberate breaking of his ankle in Spain. Carlo Ancelotti said that he and other clubs and players in Italy targeted Maradona with a view to put him out of the game by physically hurting him but he would get up off the ground, not complain and shake hands cordially with the assassins after the game. Ancelotti became great mates with Maradona as did any number of opponents.

 

[Northalives]

You have a strange agenda.

Do you think that I did NOT enjoy watching Messi at this World Cup?

Do you think that I did not enjoy watching Argentina at this World Cup?

I am a lover of the art form that is known as Association Football. I am not into Beatlemania!

 

[010203]

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Hopefully you get to see them soon. I'm lucky to have seen my teams win in my lifetime.

It's a good things I have been a Boston sports fan in the 21st Century cause Leeds and Carlton keep finding new ways to destroy my soul.

Although domestically Melbourne City have finally gotten their act together, so it's not all that bad

 

[Zidane98]

Muani, Tchoumanei & Coman have copped racial abuse on instagram. Seriously how does this keep happening?

 

[typeclub]

Who will ever forget the great team-man Messi, as the captain, sulking and brooding and hiding in the game that Barcelona got belted and then throwing his team mates under the bus and walking out on the club and team mates who made it possible for him to get the adulation that he does. The poor *s in the Barca side had finally blown a gasket for club and for Messi and the * just walked out.

Get a grip people!

He kicked out Pep and Ronaldinho all for himself and once it was all about him RM went on a the three-peat but Messi has everyone fooled because he's a good boy while Pep has gone on to legendary status where ever he's been. Imagine if he had stayed at Barca, no way RM would've dominated the next decade. It took the life out of Mou to challenge them with Pep but once he left and Xavi and Iniesta declined due to age RM knew it was their time.

People too young to know what Maradonna did for Napoli, and he didn't need HGH

 

[typeclub]

Di Maria is the special one when Messi was choking he stepped up with the penalty assist and goal just like he did for RM to win the CL after their drought, the break through came from Di Maria both times. Football purists will remember Di Maria as the of this gen for Argentina

 

[RPCB]

View attachment 1575627

I can’t wait for Portugal to win the world cup in 2062 and a 77 year old Ronaldo is doing this to cancel out Messi’s World Cup.

 

[Northalives]

Muani, Tchoumanei & Coman have copped racial abuse on instagram. Seriously how does this keep happening?

The world has become putrid - no respect, no love, no dignity. Bloody sad.

 

[SM]

The world has become putrid - no respect, no love, no dignity. Bloody sad.

Reckon it's just more visible and always been there old mate.

 

[Northalives]

Reckon it's just more visible and always been there old mate.

Oh yes, it's always been there but now, people are suffering all over the world because of unbridled capitalism and the right wing media has brought extremism into the mainstream.

When people feel aggrieved, when they are hungry, persecuted, in fear, they look for hope and extremism has been accepted as a "solution" - it's always another race, religion, colour that is to blame; not the politicians or the capitalists pig dogs.