[Dae]

How do you guys view Maradona? He is my all time favorite player. He was the big star when I first started following football, so he has a special place in my heart. However, as a human being, I think he a complete loser. I think he has deserved all the suspensions he recieved (despite the fact it broke my heart). I do not see him as a victim of some big conspiracy. How do you see it? I understand many argentinians view him as some sort of martyr and victim.

 

[Jan A]

Pelé has the personality, Pelé is loved by everyone, Pelé hasn't messed up his life, Pelé has won the most World Cups, scored the most goals, won the most prizes..I can go on till tomorrow.

HOWEVER, judging Maradona SOLELY as a soccerplayer, he is the best ever! Players can't be measured by trophies won. Is Teddy Sheringham a better striker than Batistuta just because he has won much more trophies and scored in a Champions League final?

This discussion about Pelé and Maradona can't be fair. The two didn't play in the same era. Pelé was at his peak in the 60's, Maradona in the 80's. Pelé was a striker, Maradona more an offensive midfielder or link between midfield and attack. Therefore is the point about Pelé scoring 1200 goals compared to Maradona's 300 (or something) totally irrelevant when comparing the two.

Maradona's skill, balance, large workarea (which he actually had in his prime), close control, vision and left foot has not been matched by anyone. He dedicated his career to a mediocre club (No offense, Napoli fans), made them league and cup champions as well as an UEFA cup title. Today this club is in Serie B.

Ronaldo is regarded as the coming legend of today's soccer. Many plan to rank him up there with Pelé in 10 years time if he ever comes back from injury again. Can you imagine Ronaldo play for say...Perugia and make them champions? Of course not. It's not possible. A striker needs to be backed up by a good midfield in order to score many goals. Pelé had plenty of that in his time.

Maradona has certainly created many black spots on his reputation after all the scandals. Sad, but I will always remember him as the greatest SOCCERPLAYER ever. Not most winning, not most scoring, but in terms of ABILITY as a player. The number one player.


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[Argentina]

jan A,

your post was elegant, truthful, informative and fair....i agree with all the things you said...he has a special part in my heart...his skills cant be compared with anyone else...it is true that maradona had the problems, but remember him for the magical plays or moves he made...remember him when he scared the life out of the defenders on the opposing team...remember him for his success in lower teams...i respect pele and all, but pele wouldnt have won a championship or the world cup all by himself...maradona did what no one has been able to do...he could have had the worst team in the league and he would have made them one of the best around....teams feared playing against him because they knew that the only way to stop him was to foul him.


every day i think about what he could have done if he was not a trouble maker...i ask him why he did such things...why not make himself respected by the football world forever...in that aspect, i am very dissapointed, but there will never be a time where i would back down from what i say and that is MARADONA WAS THE BEST...no one can take his place ever.

THANK YOU MARADONA!
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT MEMORIES!

FORZA MARADONA #1

 

[Jan A]

Maradona definitely had something extra compared to the players of today. Just his presence on the field was enough to win matches. He was always marked by one player in every match and sometimes even two! Most times it didn't matter. He would get past 4-5 players anyway and deliver a killer pass for a teammate to score, or finish off himself.

There will most likely never be a player of his ability again. There is none today with his potential. That's for sure.

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[pool_till_I_die]

post this one in the Brazilian forum and I'm sure that you will get a much different response.
I myself leave the judgement well alone and just sit on the fence by saying that they were the two best players in the world.