In a video posted on X, Argentinian fans were asked a difficult question: who would they choose between Messi and Maradona?
For some young fans, the debate was over last year when Messi finally ascended to the pinnacle of world football, leading Argentina to victory over France in the World Cup.
Gary Lineker actually said that Qatar World Cup victory was the moment Messi surpassed Maradona as the greatest player of all time, even though the former also won the 1986 World Cup.
Both players have played in the World Cup, but Messi’s 106 international goals surpass Maradona’s 32 goals, even though Messi has played 96 more games for his country than his predecessor.
Lionel Messi also led Argentina to win the 2021 Copa America.
Despite all these facts and figures, fans are still divided on which one they prefer.
The video is as follows:
Maradona seemed to be the overwhelming favorite at the time, although according to several humorous La Albiceleste fans, the joint second place seemed to be Messi and former Barcelona midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme.
Many Argentines attribute their 1986 World Cup victory to Maradona, who scored the famous “Hand of God” goal in that game and led Napoli to multiple Serie A titles.
While it may have been his personality that won him over among fans, it was his eccentric behavior that made him a cultural legend and adored by millions around the world.
Messi remains beloved in his home country, but his reserved, taciturn personality and lack of emotion make it difficult for fans to connect with him in the same way they did with Maradona.
The former Paris Saint-Germain player has often been compared to God or an alien because of the sometimes unbelievable things he did on the football field, but Maradona’s human struggles and issues were often on public display, which made He’s more relatable to the average fan.
Regardless of this video, both men are loved by Argentina and it would be a difficult ask for their fans to choose between them as they have both won numerous trophies and awards during their careers , and is regarded as one of the best players of all time.