Diego Maradona Snubs Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Names Another Argentina Footballer As Greatest Player of All Time
He may have left Messi out of his favourite list, but Diego Maradona remembered to credit Lionel Messi for his achievements. Messi, earlier this month, became the first footballer to win six Ballon d’Or titles and although Maradona regretted not winning the prestigious trophy himself, he praised Messi for the outstanding achievement.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were left out as Diego Maradona named his greatest footballer in history. Maradona, listed by most as one of the world’s best footballer of all-time, picked fellow Argentine Alfredo Di Stefano as the greatest player ever to have graced the football pitch overlooking compatriot Messi and Portuguese superstar Ronaldo out of the list. Maradona’s fierce rival Pele was also left out with the Argentine even accusing the Brazilian goal-machine of turning blind-eye to Di Stefano’s quality. “I think the best was Di Stefano,” said the 59-year-old, who despite recent troubles has remained the head coach at Gimnasia de La Plata. Lionel Messi Special, Diego Maradona From Another Planet: Former Argentina Striker Hernan Crespo.
“Pele didn't want to recognise Di Stefano's talents,” Maradona told TyC Sports’ Libero. “Pele's friends invented a trophy especially for him for being a living legend of football. I even beat Pele in Rio for being the best in history!” But despite accusing Pele – the only player to have scored over 1000 career goals – of doing very little on the football pitch other than scoring goals, Maradona agreed his Brazilian rival had done enough to be considered a footballing great but picked former Real Madrid legend Stefano as the greatest of all. Lionel Messi Pips Cristiano Ronaldo to Lead the List of Top 30 Players in Europe, CR7 Misses Out.
Maradona, best known for his exploits with Argentina, Barcelona and Napoli played alongside and against some of the most talented players of his time. The diminutive attacker almost single-handedly guided Argentina to their second and last FIFA World Cup title in 1986. He was also the spine behind Napoli’s Italian league titles wins in 1986-87 and 89. Asked to name the best players he exchanged his shirts with and his team-mate he got along with easily, Maradona picked Rudd Guilt, Van Basten and Brazil legend Careca.
“The best shirts I swapped were with Gullit and Van Basten when they were at AC Milan,” said Maradona, one among FIFA’s top 100 players of all-time. “The player who I connected best with was [former Napoli striker] Careca.”
He may have left Messi out of his favourite list, but Maradona remembered to credit Messi for his achievements. Messi, earlier this month, became the first footballer to win six Ballon d’Or titles and although Maradona regretted not winning the prestigious trophy himself, he praised Messi for the outstanding achievement. The Ballon d’Or trophy during Maradona’s playing days was only reserved for European players.
“I think I'd have quite a few [Ballons d'Or],” said Maradona. “but what Messi is doing is outstanding. I would never like to face Messi – not ever. The lad comes home, plays football, doesn't sing the national anthem and they say he's Catalan. I don't criticise Messi [like some others do].”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2019 09:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).