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BARCELONA (Reuters) – Lionel Messi is the only Argentine who truly lives up to being described as the next Diego Maradona, so it came as no surprise that the Barcelona captain dedicated his goal in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Osasuna in the League to his late compatriot.
Argentina’s two iconic players may be contrasting characters, but they shared many traits, including a link to Newell’s Old Boys and the Barça captain stripped off his jersey to reveal the rosarino club’s red and black before pointing to the sky.
Messi was born a year after Maradona captained Argentina to 1986 World Cup glory in Mexico, but was at Newell Stadium as a fan in 1993 when Maradona made his debut with the club.
Messi’s goal on Sunday was striking for its similarity to the one Maradona scored that day against Emelec, both players dribbling around the edge of the area before finding the top corner.
It was not the only time that Messi imitated Maradona.
His solo effort against Getafe in 2007 was a carbon copy of Maradona’s second against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals, also remembered for the Argentine’s “Mano de Dios” goal.
Triggered by a dance between two players near the midline, he was finished off with a dribble to the goalkeeper and a slide to the ground as the ball slipped into the net.
That same season, Messi produced his own “Hand of God” moment by hitting the ball into the net against Espanyol, prompting an Argentine commentator to yell: “It’s Maradona disguised as Messi. He’s reincarnated.”
The two players also shared an incredible low center of gravity, passing range, and vision, plus a magical left foot, though their characters often seemed like separate worlds.
EVENT RACE
Maradona yearned to be the center of attention throughout his checkered career and was often in the news for his activities off the field.
Yet that often helped his image, particularly in Argentina, where thousands of people have defied COVID-19 restrictions to mourn their hero, who died at age 60 on Wednesday.
While Messi got a taste of Barcelona’s nightlife when he was young, he is a private family man, having had three children with his childhood sweetheart Antonela Roccuzzo, whom he married in 2017.
The biggest scandal came when he was found guilty of tax fraud, a charge also faced by Maradona, whose star career was cut short by years of drug use, binge eating and alcoholism.
But who is the best player?
Maradona scored 346 goals in 679 games for his clubs and his country in all competitions, but two drug bans plus health problems and injuries meant he only spent eight years at the top of his game.
Messi, who began his career in 2004, has played 855 games and scored 712 goals, still remaining a few years in him at 33.
He is the top scorer for Barça and the most decorated player, with 10 League titles and four Champions League titles.
DOMINANT PLAYER
Maradona never won Europe’s top club award, but dragged an ordinary Napoli squad to two Serie A titles and a UEFA Cup win, while he was equally talisman for Argentina and the dominant player in the Cup. of the World 1986.
Messi is Argentina’s all-time top scorer, but luck has abandoned him when it matters most. He was on the losing side in the 2014 World Cup final, losing to Germany in extra time and proved defeat in two Copa America finals on penalties.
“Maradona is definitely the best player I’ve ever seen, but Messi fans shouldn’t get mad about that because he lives in a different time,” Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández said earlier this year.
“But you could put Maradona next to 10 broomsticks and it would still make the team win.”
Former players have a harder time choosing who was the best.
“Diego was more artistic and more passionate, but Messi has achieved more,” said Maradona’s former Argentina teammate Jorge Valdano.
Current Atlético de Madrid coach Diego Simeone, who played with Maradona at Sevilla and Argentina, added: “It doesn’t make sense to choose between them, they played at different times.
“Diego was much more excited, but Leo scored many more goals. They were both extraordinarily good but very different.”
(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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