World Cup 2022 - Team and Match Discussion

There is a video going round at the moment along the lines of "Whatever your favourite player did, Pele did it first."

Pele is also the only player to have won 3 World Cups.

For the people anointing Messi as the Greatest Of All Time, and saying that a World Cup win cements that, I'd say I disagree.

He's definitely in the top 5 players that I have ever seen, but for me Pele is #1.

Mentioned it in here already but it really is crazy how much the WC can impact a player's legacy when so many players are ruled out just by virtue of being born in the wrong nation. For example Mbappe and Haaland could have near-identical careers for the next 15 years, how much can we really hold it against Haaland if Norway don't win the World Cup?

I've never seen Pele play he was before my time. His numbers are ridiculous like Messi, I have no idea what the standard of Brazilian football was like back then either which he played his entire career in, so its hard to compare. Messi didn't need a world cup to cement is greatness, the standard he has maintained since a teenager cements that. In my 30 years of watching football he is the best I have seen, played at the highest level throughout and had no equal.

He scored 73 goals for club and country in 2011/2012 it was insane.

It's had to compare players of different eras e.g. Pele never got to play in Europe plus rules, conditioning, tactics, money, and travel were all different back then. I'd prefer just to say for example:

Pele, Eusébio, Best, Moore were the greats back in the 60's

Cryuff, Beckenbauer, Muller, Keegan in the 70's

Maradona, Platini, Van Basten in the 80's

Romario, Bergkamp, Zidane in the 90's

Ronaldo(original), Maldini, Henry, Xavi in 2000's

Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta, Zlatan, Pirlo in the 2010's

Mbappe, tbd in the 2020's

He’s a Top Top player who gives 110%

Video or it didn't happen!

Mbappe is a brilliant player but I think the GOAT debate was always re Messi and Ronaldo. On here and elsewhere there was a ridiculous amount of people trying to argue that Ronaldo was better than Messi, he never ever was and yesterday has put that "debate" finally to rest.

A lot of that debate came down to popularity and loyalty. It's hard to actually say who is better when the margins are that fine.

In terms of popularity and loyalty I think Ronaldo has absolutely decimated his legacy over the last year. It feels certain now that in years to come when we waffle on as old men and women it's Messi we will be telling the kids about. Ronnie will be in the Eusabio, Di Stefano, Puskas category.

"Won't be crying into a camera"

You clearly didn't see his last game for Portugal.

Messi is a different type of player to Ronaldo. With that low center of gravity Messi is a better dribbler with great balance and poise. He's more of a team player too. Ronaldo has a better shot and is more physical. Some leap on him in the air. I much prefer Messi. He would be harder to mark.

It's just aswell for Argentina's sake that France were missing the likes of Benzema, Hernandez, Kimpembe, Kante and Pogba otherwise I think France would have won that game yesterday over 90 mins.

Agree re: Maradona.

I think the WC put to bed the Messi or Ronaldo discussion, and the debate (as it always should have been anyway imo) is now Maradona or Messi. Still Maradona for me, but it’s close.

Some context to that Dublin jersey.

I mean it's not like it's front page stuff it's just a fun story in the limerick leader