A missed penalty versus Iceland. A lack of touches versus Nigeria. There was no shortage of frustration for the legendary Lionel Messi and Argentina at the 2018 World Cup. Messi scoring just once in his nation’s four matches was a bitter disappointment. At other times, it has seemed Messi could do no wrong. Incredible success through his 20s has sparked the debate as to who is the better footballer, Messi or his compatriot Diego Maradona. Comparing these legends is not an easy task and requires some subjectivity. It requires identifying which accolades are the most important and which achievements the most worthy of celebration. With that said, I will now analyze the careers and legacies of both Messi and Maradona and arrive at a conclusion as to who is “better.” You may not agree with me, but that is what makes this fun. Let’s get started.
I believe comparing the international careers of the two stars is an appropriate place to begin. In a sport like soccer, club success is nice, but it is often done far outside the borders of one’s own country. International championships, and especially World Cup success, are what most fans will remember their favorite players for. Nothing brings more pride to a nation football-wise than a good showing at the World Cup.
Messi has now appeared in 127 matches for his home nation of Argentina, while Maradona played in only 91. In those contests, Messi has struck 65 goals, the most ever by an Argentinian, to Maradona’s 34. This gives Messi a goal-per-match rate of 0.51 in international play, while Maradona sports a 0.37 mark. If we remove friendlies and look only at meaningful international matches, Messi now has 35 goals in 84 appearances for 0.42 goals/match, while Maradona has 17 goals on 51 appearances for 0.33 goals/match.
Even with an international playing career four years shorter than that of Maradona, Messi has represented Argentina more often and scored much more frequently. Of course, goals are not everything. Assists are just as valuable, and Maradona excelled in this department at the World Cup. Messi has tallied just 5 assists in his 19 World Cup appearances, while Maradona recorded 8 in 21 appearances.
Goals and assists are nice, but only if they occur in winning efforts. To become a national legend, you must lead your countrymen to international glory. Maradona boasts the most coveted international football prize, a World Cup title, earning him the nickname “D10S” from his fellow countrymen. Maradona also led Argentina to the Artemio Franchi Trophy, a precursor to the Confederations Cup, in 1993. To date, the only international title Messi can claim is an Olympic gold medal in 2008. Unfortunately for Messi, an Olympic gold does not draw nearly the same laud as a World Cup title.
Fans of Messi have been patiently waiting for him to bring the World Cup trophy back to Argentina, but it has not happened. Messi played brilliantly in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, striking four goals and earning the Golden Ball award for the tournament’s best player. He did, however, fail to score in each of Argentina’s final two matches, limiting the squad to a second-place finish. Apart from the beginning of the 2014 tournament, Messi’s World Cup performances have been largely disappointing. Increased attention and ball denial from defenses seems to silence Messi, as he is not one to hog or demand the ball. Many blame the lack of talent around him for his poor World Cup results.
“Maradona did not play on a talented Argentine team, either,” fire back D10S supporters. Even without help, Maradona willed his 1986 squad to victory with a dazzling performance – a feat Messi has not equaled. Winning more trophies in fewer opportunities, Maradona was clearly the more successful international player between the two. Messi has scored the most goals in his nation’s history but has little to show for it.
Club play is where Messi sets himself apart. Those who cannot force themselves to anoint Messi as the greatest of all time will still acknowledge that he deserves to be named the greatest club player ever. Messi has spent his entire 14-year senior club career on Barcelona of the Spanish La Liga. His accomplishments at Barcelona are impressive to say the least. For starters, he has led Barca to nine league titles and has a record of 17-12-9 in El Clasico matches. He seems to bring his A game when Barcelona’s stakes are highest, notching 26 El Clasico goals, an all-time record, with 14 assists in those 38 matches.
In a contest that many claim to contain more consistent competition than the World Cup, Messi has won the UEFA Champions League 4 times. Some rank this as a better achievement than Maradona’s 1986 World Cup title, but it is less special for Argentinians because it was done in club play without any glory coming back to the home country. Messi has also won 6 Copas del Rey, tied for the most ever by a single player.
He has absolutely dominated La Liga since his arrival. He is now the proud holder of the records for most all-time La Liga goals, most La Liga goals in one season, and most all-time La Liga assists. Barca has built a phenomenal squad to complement Messi, preventing the defense from ganging up on him and allowing his true brilliance and skill set to shine. There is no doubting Messi’s ability, but being surrounded by several star players definitely makes things easier.
After beginning his professional career for Argentinos Juniors at the ripe age of 15, Maradona eventually wound up on Barcelona in 1982. Finding immediate success, he led Barca to the Copa del Rey title in 1983 and scored an unforgettable goal in June of ‘83 en route to defeating arch nemesis Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu and becoming the first Barcelona player to receive an ovation from the Madrid crowd. Unfortunately, injuries began to hobble Maradona in the subsequent seasons. Not performing at full strength, Maradona was then transferred to the Italian squad Napoli after his involvement in a major brawl with Bilbao at the 1984 Copa del Rey final.
Unfortunately, Maradona’s stint in Spain was too brief to draw any comparisons to Messi’s Barca reign. It was during his eight seasons in Napoli that Maradona performed his greatest club achievements and built a powerhouse out of a perennial loser. In the 1986-87 season, Maradona led Napoli to their first ever league championship. He then backed that up with a second in the 1989-90 campaign. Maradona also guided Napoli to a Coppa Italia title, a UEFA Cup title, and the Italian Supercup title, all from a team that had previously won nothing.
It is hard to compare the club careers of Messi and Maradona. Messi has enjoyed far more success and has set club records that may never be broken. Maradona joined a squad that had never enjoyed success and turned them into an Italian force to be reckoned with. Messi supporters brag of his wealth of club titles, while Maradona supporters reinforce how difficult it is to carry a team single-handedly. Off-the-field issues stunted Maradona’s success at Napoli, causing his club accolades to pale in comparison to Messi’s.
Maradona brought glory to his home nation through his international success, while Messi has achieved an unprecedented god-like status in his club play at Barca. My final comparison will be of notable individual achievements and moments in their career that set them apart.
Although the award has recently changed names several times, Messi has effectively won five Ballon d’Or awards, which are given to the best footballer in the world each year. His prime years, 2009-12, saw a run of four straight Ballon d’Ors, an unfathomable streak. Unfortunately, we cannot make a straight comparison to Maradona, as non-European players were not eligible for this award until 1995. Throughout his career, however, Maradona was able to win the World Player of the Year by Guerin Sportivo, was a 4-time Argentine football writers’ Footballer of the Year, was a 2-time South American Footballer of the Year, was once the European Footballer of the Season, and, most notably, was named co-winner of FIFA’s Footballer of the Century award alongside Pele.
Maradona lived a much more polarizing life than did Messi. Very outspoken and often surrounded by controversy, Maradona is a stark contrast to the quiet, reserved Messi. Maradona has provided higher highs to his fans but has also caused them to suffer through lower lows. His Goal of the Century versus England in the 1986 World Cup will live forever in history, as will his feat of bringing a World Cup title back to Argentina. However, his drug use and banishment from the World Cup in 1994 will tarnish that legacy. His goal against Madrid prompted an ovation from the rival crowd, a gesture Messi has not yet received, but his temper forced an early and embarrassing exit from Barca.
Messi has been the model of consistency. He is the all-time leading goal scorer in both Argentine and La Liga history. His 4 consecutive Ballon d’Ors cemented his rightful spot among the game’s elite. But…he has not delivered that signature moment for his nation that the Argentinians have been craving. While Messi is content to blend into his squad’s system, Maradona routinely synthesized something out of nothing and created moments that will never be forgotten. Messi’s consistency leads me to declare him the better overall player, but there is no doubt in my mind that Maradona leaves behind a much greater and more celebrated legacy. Maradona is still the D10S of Argentine football.
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