Messi v Maradona: Can we agree the Argentina legends are both great?

Lionel Messi versus Diego Maradona. The mere mention of those two players will have immediately divided the people reading this article.

In many people’s eyes, Maradona’s exploits with Napoli and Argentina make him the undisputed greatest footballer of all-time.

For others, Messi’s mind-boggling achievements with Barcelona cannot be topped and he is the finest player to grace the planet.

The greatest of all-time (G.O.A.T) debate had raged for many years and will undoubtedly continue to do so over the next few decades.

As highlighted in a recent study by football betting site Betway, extreme methods are often used to determine which player truly deserves the accolade.

Enlisting five real goats to settle the debate may be unorthodox, but the fact they chose Maradona suggests they might actually know their football.

While this less than scientific approach attempted to answer the G.O.A.T. question, there are more factual ways to revolve the conundrum.

From a longevity perspective, Messi stands head and shoulders above Maradona, whose wild lifestyle eventually caught up with him.

Comparing their records at club level is futile, as Messi comes out on top in every meaningful category you can think of.

A quick look at league titles and major European trophies highlights that point to perfection, with Messi winning 15 to Maradona’s four.

His goalscoring exploits with Barcelona are the stuff of legend and are unlikely to be surpassed by anyone in the foreseeable future.

However, it would be churlish to try and diminish what Maradona achieved with club and country during a glittering spell in the 1980s and early 1990s.

He helped to knock the established clubs off their perch in Serie A, playing an integral role as Napoli won the Serie A title in 1986/87 and 1989/90.

However, Maradona’s exploits with Argentina are why many people believe he edges Messi in the ongoing G.O.A.T. debate.

He came to the fore on the international stage in the 1982 World Cup, before captaining Argentina to victory in Mexico four years later.

Maradona played every minute of every game, bagging five goals and five assists on his way to winning FIFA’s Golden Ball Award.

His maverick nature was demonstrated perfectly in the quarter-final against England, where he scored twice – one a brilliant solo effort and the other rather more controversial.

The ‘Hand of God’ goal made Maradona public enemy one with English fans but earned him God-like status with his adoring Argentinian followers.

He subsequently helped Argentina reach another World Cup final in 1990, before exiting international football following a failed drug test in 1994.

While Maradona dominated the headlines for Argentina during his career, Messi’s exploits at international level have been less impressive.

He has largely failed to replicate his club form in major international tournaments, although he did play an integral role in Argentina’s 2021 Copa America victory.

Despite this, the depth of his achievements at club level outweigh Maradona’s and he deserves to be in the G.O.A.T. conversation.

Rather than trying to pick one or the other, let’s agree that both players were great and park the debate once and for all.