Maradona

2022 - 12 - 13

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Goal.com"

Messi is 'no leader'? If only Maradona could see the Argentina ... (Goal.com)

Diego Maradona once claimed that Lionel Messi 'is no leader', but the Argentina captain has proven himself a true leader of men at the 2022 World Cup in ...

Which explains why the way in which Messi so publicly lashed out against the likes of Louis van Gaal and Wout Weghorst after the nastiest of games against the Dutch went over so well with his compatriots. Diego is a bit of the Argentine that we really are: the fighter who rebels against power." This was the Messi they had always wanted to see. "We had an objective and we're one step away from achieving it and the best thing about it is it's in our hands. Messi insisted that the onus was on him and everyone else to ensure that the struggling striker kept his head up. He had, after all, spent most of his life in Barcelona. It's useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game." Messi is Messi when he wears that shirt, and he's another Messi with Argentina. "It's been 45 days of hard work in which we haven't complained about the travelling, the food, the hotels, the pitches, nothing. In Argentina, there were those that didn't always feel like he was one of them. And what's now become clear is that Messi is also willing to fight for them. So, let's go out there with confidence, with cool heads, and let's win this trophy.

Messi vs Maradona: who was better in the World Cup? (AS English)

Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona are not only two of Argentina's greatest ever players, they are arguably the best the world has ever seen.

As you can see from the graphic below, Argentina have been crowned Kings of the World on two previous occasions, in 1978 and 1986. Here are his World Cup performances ahead of the 2022 edition in a graphical nutshell. But, as Qatar nears its end, we can consider the World Cup careers of both of them for Argentina. The question that will never be fully answered, of course, is who is the greatest between the two. “Everyone was in awe of him.” One of my favourite stories of the late, great Diego was that told by England hero Gary Lineker, reliving the disbelief he and his teammates had while watching Maradona warm up with perceived “impossible” keepie-uppies.

Messi and Maradona: Stats Show Argentina Icons Are the Most ... (Sports Brief)

SportsBrief.com News - Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona are the most creative players in World Cup history. That's according to recent stats outlined by ...

[Ronaldo](https://sportsbrief.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo/) Nazario has admitted he will be [excited should Lionel Messi win t](https://sportsbrief.com/football/30193-world-cup-2022-ronaldo-admits-happy-messi-wins-mundial/)he 2022 World Cup in Qatar. [Argentina](https://sportsbrief.com/facts/teams/16181-argentina-national-football-teams-players-coach-fifa-world-rankings-world-cup-more/) fan has [inked Messi's memorable moment ](https://sportsbrief.com/football/paris-saint-germain/30217-fan-tattoos-iconic-messi-world-cup-moment-netherlands/)during the game against the Netherlands in the quarter-final of the World Cup. [@VisualGame](https://twitter.com/avisualgame), the Paris Saint-Germain forward has matched his fellow countryman Maradona on 67 chances created in [World](https://sportsbrief.com/tag/world/) Cup matches.

'Impossible to compare them' – Lionel Messi can't rival Diego ... (talkSPORT.com)

Lionel Messi can't be compared to Argentine legend Diego Maradona, even if he does go on to win this year's World Cup, talkSPORT has been told.The 35-

“Is Messi one of the most gifted players ever? He’s one of the most gifted footballers that I’ve ever seen. I think that Maradona just about won one by himself and it’s just impossible to compare them. It’s not just bad or a yellow-card offence, I’m telling you, it’s brutal. To which McCoist responded: “No, no. [talkSPORT Breakfast](https://talksport.com/topic/sports-breakfast/), Andy Townsend said: “Even with all of the focus about whether Messi could ever equal what Maradona did and the debate about who is the best and who isn’t, they’ll be desperate.

Messi's unexpected Maradona parallel (The Daily Star)

Carlos Javier Mac Allister played with the great Diego Armando Maradona. His son, Alexis, is playing with Lionel Andres Messi. Only one other father and son ...

Indeed, one cannot compare but as I saw Messi getting into uncharacteristic confrontations in the quarter-finals match against the Netherlands, I could not help but imagine a convergence of his and Diego's legacies. Perhaps biased by recency, or by his son's and country's recent fortunes being so closely tied with that of the younger legend, Carlos admitted in a recent interview that, if he was asked right now, he would say that Messi is the best. Don't compare Messi with Maradona or Maradona with Di Stefano," he says.

Lionel Messi will never be the GOAT even with World Cup win ... (SPORTbible)

Lionel Messi is looking to add his name to football immortality by becoming a World Cup winner but Ally McCoist thinks he's still be behind Argentina ...

"Is Messi one of the most gifted players ever? He’s one of the most gifted footballers that I’ve ever seen. It’s not just bad or a yellow-card offence, I’m telling you, it’s brutal. [opener with a magical assist,](https://www.sportbible.com/football/lionel-messi-world-cup-argentina-netherlands-assist-angle-483016-20221213) scored the second and then showed the guts to go up first in the penalty shoot-out, and placed his effort safely home. [World Cup](https://www.sportbible.com/football-world-cup) to solidify his status as the greatest ever. [ winner in the last 16 game with Australia.](https://www.sportbible.com/football/lionel-messi-world-cup-2022-australia-795166-20221204)

Why Diego Maradona against Belgium was his most complete ... (The Athletic)

Maradona's 1986 World Cup is remembered primarily for the Hand of God and his wondergoal against England, but this was his best display.

In the photo below, Maradona has all his weight on that left foot still and, seemingly, will end up on his back. On the face of it, there is nowhere for Maradona to go as he takes a touch forward and three Belgium players confront him. One of them is Cuciuffo, who has continued his run, presumably more in hope than expectation that he will get the ball back. … receive on the back foot and with his body open. Look at the image below and the way in which three Belgium players have been drawn to Maradona. Frank Vercauteren, who is matching Maradona stride for stride in the picture below, is looking in completely the opposite direction to the ball. With six minutes gone, a Belgium cross has been cleared and is dropping out of the sky. Instinctively, he flicks the ball to Jorge Valdano with the outside of his left foot. Up in the stands the pace of life is rather more sedate. Two of that trio of Belgium players converged on Maradona, expecting him to come out of the turn and drive forward with the ball, exactly as he did against England. Memorable because the skill that Maradona uses to manoeuvre his way out of an area the size of a telephone box has long been named after him. Three days after breaking English hearts, Maradona returned to the Azteca and produced arguably an even better — certainly more complete — display against Belgium.