Pele: Messi Should Win World Player Award

[capodetutticapi]

It's the Argentinian's turn to capture the FIFA trophy says the Brazilian.

Lionel Messi, Barcelona (MARCA)Brazil legend Pele says that Barcelona forward Lionel Messi should be crowned FIFA World Player of the Year.

The Argentinian was the key figure for Pep Guardiola's side this year as they won an unprecedented five trophies, picking up the European Club Footballer of the Year award along the way and now Pele says it's time Messi was recognized as the best in the world.

"After giving it to Ronaldinho, Kaka and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, now it's the turn of [lionel] Messi," Pele said, according to Sport.

Pele also said that he hopes Messi's national side, Argentina do not miss out on World Cup qualification.

"It's hard to imagine a World Cup without Argentina. Nobody expected this to happen but that's football. It wouldn't be good for football if they were not there," he said.

Paul Madden, Goal.com

[#4]

if I was Messi, I would be cussing Pele for picking me to win something.

[Bourbon]

if I was Messi, I would be cussing Pele for picking me to win something.

ENT!!! Nex ting he doh get it.

[davidephraim]

I agree with pele. I watched messi yesterday and we here in TnT talk about talent and skill and shit but dat lil boy name messi is out of this world. Im almost ready to say most skillfull player on planet earth. He probably dont have the silverware to show it but My vote goes with messi.

[dinho]

Pele say this?

lawd, now watch them go and give it to CR7 again.. 

[Observer]

I agree with pele. I watched messi yesterday and we here in TnT talk about talent and skill and shit but dat lil boy name messi is out of this world. Im almost ready to say most skillfull player on planet earth. He probably dont have the silverware to show it but My vote goes with messi.

08-09  Triple
06-07 CL medal & League title
Copa America (Silver) 
FIFA WC U20

[FineMan]

You forgot his Olympic Gold medal in Beijing 2008

I agree with pele. I watched messi yesterday and we here in TnT talk about talent and skill and shit but dat lil boy name messi is out of this world. Im almost ready to say most skillfull player on planet earth. He probably dont have the silverware to show it but My vote goes with messi.

08-09  Triple
06-07 CL medal & League title
Copa America (Silver) 
FIFA WC U20

.

[fordy]

well he had my vote the year ronaldo won it. he still have my vote until i see something to dispell that notion.

[davidephraim]

I agree with pele. I watched messi yesterday and we here in TnT talk about talent and skill and shit but dat lil boy name messi is out of this world. Im almost ready to say most skillfull player on planet earth. He probably dont have the silverware to show it but My vote goes with messi.

08-09  Triple
06-07 CL medal & League title
Copa America (Silver) 
FIFA WC U20

i stand corrected!

[Mango Chow!]

well he had my vote the year ronaldo won it. he still have my vote until i see something to dispell that notion.

   Couldn't have said it better myself!!

[Small Change]

Lionel Messi scored twice to guide leaders Barcelona to a 4-1 win at Racing Santander in La Liga on Tuesday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores against Racing

GettyImages

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores against Racing

The champions tore apart Atletico Madrid 5-2 on Saturday with four first-half goals and Racing suffered similar treatment, conceding three in seven first-half minutes from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Messi and Gerard Pique.

Messi added a fourth after the restart to take his tally to five from four league games before Oscar Serrano replied late for Racing.

Barcelona have 12 points from four games, three ahead of second-placed Real Madrid who visit Villarreal on Wednesday.

Worries that Ibrahimovic would take time to adapt after replacing Samuel Eto'o in Barca's attack now look misplaced as the Swede bagged his fourth goal in as many games.

Messi floated a cross to the back post for the Swedish striker to nod the opener in the 20th minute and almost immediately the former Inter Milan marksman powered into the area and hit the post with another effort.

Four minutes later Messi played a one-two with Xavi, wrong-footed a defender and curled a shot into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.

The game was over as a contest in the 27th when Ibrahimovic controlled a ball in the area. As five defenders swarmed around him, he back-heeled a pass to the unmarked Pique who slotted home the third.

Ibrahimovic was substituted after going over on his ankle in the second half before Messi added his second with a trademark run across the edge of the area and a shot inside the far post.

Earlier, Sevilla ended Real Mallorca's flying start to the season with a 2-0 win at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

The islanders started the day in fourth spot after two wins and a draw from their first three games but were undone by improving Sevilla, who could have won by an even bigger margin.

Sebastien Squillaci headed in a corner after 17 minutes and Jesus Navas set up Diego Perotti for a back-post header soon after to lift Sevilla to third with nine points from four games.

[Small Change]

Pele: Messi must score 1,000 goals first


World Cup legend Pele claims that all talk of Lionel Messi being the greatest player in the world must stop until the Argentine scores his 1000th career goal.

Pele
GettyImagesPele: The greatest ever?

• Forum: Messi top in rankings

Pele is regarded as the best striker to have played the game, but is tired of seeing comparisons with his career and told the Daily Mail that Messi must first be viewed as the best player from his own country, ahead of Diego Maradona.

"They are always trying to compare someone to Pele," he said. "I always joke with my Argentine friends that they must first choose who is the best player from Argentina.

"Then, when one of them scores a thousand goals, then we can start talking."

However, the three-time World Cup winner did lavish praise upon the current FIFA World Player of the Year.

"Messi did not win the World Player award [in 2007], but I remember that I said to him, 'you'll be the next'," he said. "It took a little longer, but he eventually won. He's a great player.

"He plays very well for Barcelona, but has failed to show his talent with the Argentina team. Maybe he can at the World Cup. Let's wait and see.''

[andre samuel]

Pele is ah BACKSIDE!!

[jai john]

When Romario score it wha he say ??

[Deeks]

Pele is ah BACKSIDE!!

Why is that? Pele has praised Messi all along. Pele said that in "tongue in cheek". You know Brazilians and Argentinians to go at each other like TT and JA. Pele did not mean no disrepect. Like I have said before. It is difficult to compare a play maker(who score goal sometimes) with a striker(who score goals most of the time). Both feed on each other for success. Messi right now is absolutely phenominal with Barca. Let's see if he can replicate that with Argentina in SA like how Ronaldinho did in Korea/japan.

[Dumplingdinho]

Pele is ah BACKSIDE!!

Why is that? Pele has praised Messi all along. Pele said that in "tongue in cheek". You know Brazilians and Argentinians to go at each other like TT and JA. Pele did not mean no disrepect. Like I have said before. It is difficult to compare a play maker(who score goal sometimes) with a striker(who score goals most of the time). Both feed on each other for success. Messi right now is absolutely phenominal with Barca. Let's see if he can replicate that with Argentina in SA like how Ronaldinho did in Korea/japan.

IMHO Ronaldinho didn't dominate the world cup, he wasn't even the best brazilian player...Ronaldo and Rivaldo were the two best and I am a big Ronaldinho fan.

[Deeks]

Pele is ah BACKSIDE!!

Why is that? Pele has praised Messi all along. Pele said that in "tongue in cheek". You know Brazilians and Argentinians to go at each other like TT and JA. Pele did not mean no disrepect. Like I have said before. It is difficult to compare a play maker(who score goal sometimes) with a striker(who score goals most of the time). Both feed on each other for success. Messi right now is absolutely phenominal with Barca. Let's see if he can replicate that with Argentina in SA like how Ronaldinho did in Korea/japan.

He was great at the tournament, in addition to the others(Ronaldo etc). he had an exceptional game against England. I like Messi. But people want to see him perform(right or wrong) like that for Argentina.
IMHO Ronaldinho didn't dominate the world cup, he wasn't even the best brazilian player...Ronaldo and Rivaldo were the two best and I am a big Ronaldinho fan.

[fish]

he does really talk some kinda filth sometimes

[Preacher]

Pele talking truth.  Just because you have a season or two of hitting man beat means that you should be hailed the greatest player ever.  Let me break down for allyuh, the greatest player of all time is reserved firstly for the player who wins world cups.  And secondly score 1000 goals like the boss put it.

I think Messi is in great form but the title of greatest player ever aint that cheap.

[Trinimassive]

Pele right.

Messi have ah looooooooong way to go to be greatest ever category.

 

[fordy]

I fully understand the hype messi getting and barring major injury, I cant see why he cant become the greatest player ever. The level he is on, and assuming he wins a world cup (doesnt have to be this one cause remember he is 22) there wont be a reason why he cannot be labeled as such. To the best of my knowledge, Pele never win a Champions league, nor did Maradona (if im wrong please correct me) and all the other personal accomplishments they won he has a very good chance of winning or has won them already so at this point no, you cant label him as an all time great, but he is the best on the planet curently...hands down!

[andre samuel]

Pele talking truth.  Just because you have a season or two of hitting man beat means that you should be hailed the greatest player ever.  Let me break down for allyuh, the greatest player of all time is reserved firstly for the player who wins world cups.  And secondly score 1000 goals like the boss put it.

I think Messi is in great form but the title of greatest player ever aint that cheap.

So what u are saying is that once u are not from a major footballing nation, u could never be the best player ever.

So if Messi was from Trinidad, and playing the way that he is for his entire career, i guess according to your logic, he could never ever be the worlds best player.

Former players like Pele and the like always try their best to protect their own legacy.

[Mad Scorpion a/k/a Big Bo$$]

Pele talking truth.  Just because you have a season or two of hitting man beat means that you should be hailed the greatest player ever.  Let me break down for allyuh, the greatest player of all time is reserved firstly for the player who wins world cups.  And secondly score 1000 goals like the boss put it.

I think Messi is in great form but the title of greatest player ever aint that cheap.

So what u are saying is that once u are not from a major footballing nation, u could never be the best player ever.

So if Messi was from Trinidad, and playing the way that he is for his entire career, i guess according to your logic, he could never ever be the worlds best player.

Former players like Pele and the like always try their best to protect their own legacy.

Agreed but Messi's career hasn't reached the point of comparison yet.  His skills and abilities can be compared but not his career.  To be the greatest requires a career of greatness not 3/4 seasons.  If Messi doesn't sustain any major injuries I have no doubt he'll be in the argument but right now that is just simply premature shit talk.

[giggsy11]

I think messi is great but to be the greatest of all time, he has to string more great seasons together and not just 2 seasons. Shite wasn't it just the other day it was Ronaldinho and look how he fell off. That talk regarding Messi should be saved for after his career is over. To soon.

[Coop's]

Again,we watching a set of club Football and rating players the best ever,guys like CR,Messi,Rooney etc etc when these same guys reach on the world stage they can't perform and look like everybody else.Messi is the man at the moment,it's who everybody knows and sees,some peeps on here only hear about Pele so they can't relate to how great this guys was,why you all think they always use him as the measuring stick where greatness is concerned?what you all think of Messi being better than Maradona?

Pele have said such good things about Messi but peeps think he has a problem,i think he has some valid points,i don't care how much silverwear one has nothing could compare to three WC victories.    

[Deeks]

Lionel is the bet performing player at the moment. He has the right attitude. barring injuries he can do wonders in time to come. The boy is only what, 23?. To me greatestness comes with longevity. Performing at a high level over a period of time. Give him 5 more years and let's see where he will be?

[dinho]

at the end of the day the man is only 22.. he not hook on de rum and he not running down hos like most of his contemporaries...

he humble, respectful of his predecessors and loyal to his club.. And most importantly, Argentina don't have a carnival.

the ingredients there, it will be interesting to see if he really becomes the best ever.

[fordy]

at the end of the day the man is only 22.. he not hook on de rum and he not running down hos like most of his contemporaries...

he humble, respectful of his predecessors and loyal to his club.. And most importantly, Argentina don't have a carnival.

the ingredients there, it will be interesting to see if he really becomes the best ever.

lovin dis right here!!! 

[Deeks]

at the end of the day the man is only 22.. he not hook on de rum and he not running down hos like most of his contemporaries...

he humble, respectful of his predecessors and loyal to his club.. And most importantly, Argentina don't have a carnival.

the ingredients there, it will be interesting to see if he really becomes the best ever.

lovin dis right here!!! 

What does carnival has to do with it. If carnival is such problem why has Brazil won 5 WC and plays such great football. It is totally up to the individual. and who says Argentina don't have carnival.

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/story?videoId=27078544&videoChannel=1004

[Preacher]

Pele talking truth.  Just because you have a season or two of hitting man beat means that you should be hailed the greatest player ever.  Let me break down for allyuh, the greatest player of all time is reserved firstly for the player who wins world cups.  And secondly score 1000 goals like the boss put it.

I think Messi is in great form but the title of greatest player ever aint that cheap.

So what u are saying is that once u are not from a major footballing nation, u could never be the best player ever.

So if Messi was from Trinidad, and playing the way that he is for his entire career, i guess according to your logic, he could never ever be the worlds best player.

Former players like Pele and the like always try their best to protect their own legacy.

Dre Trinidad football is about Hype and Hope in the rest of the real world it is all about stats.  The Messi phenomenon is about Hype and Hope, presently.  He had two weks of showing he IS a football God.  But is he the Greatest of the Gods?  I don't think so.  And if he was from Trini I would be hoping to. But unless you showing that kinda form for 10yrs and winning World cups u not the best player ever.   In 2 months we'll see.