The GOAT continues to rewrite football history

[reagansimms]

~~~

That's true bro. Messi is actually a good player indeed and time has proven that and even better. Messi has been a very lucky player right from when he kick started his football career at the very earlier stage of his life, however he hasn't experience a more serious injury that would have probably jeopardize his football career and also, he has connected and worked with great teams that I believe have also contributed immensely to the success is enjoying today. The guy has already made a name for himself and I'm so happy for him. However, another season is here and his fans are already expecting more from him which I believe is well to do any point in time.

Messi performance is indeed extraordinary in this World Cup, his success in scoring a hat-trick in the biggest competition at the age of 38 shows a brilliant playing vision and genius that is hard to match, his productivity is still the same as when he was younger proves his status as one of the most natural talents in history.
Despite having suffered several serious injuries and fitness issues early in his career, including a few spells sidelined by a hamstring injury as a youngster, he seems to have been incredibly blessed. These issues, including a few long-term injuries, haven't affected his performance, and he's still able to create on the pitch without any issues.

[nikola22]

Messi performance is indeed extraordinary in this World Cup, his success in scoring a hat-trick in the biggest competition at the age of 38 shows a brilliant playing vision and genius that is hard to match, his productivity is still the same as when he was younger proves his status as one of the most natural talents in history.
Despite having suffered several serious injuries and fitness issues early in his career, including a few spells sidelined by a hamstring injury as a youngster, he seems to have been incredibly blessed. These issues, including a few long-term injuries, haven't affected his performance, and he's still able to create on the pitch without any issues.

in the first match against Algeria Messi really showed a high level of football. but one match doesn't mean he'll continue to show the same level. there's no doubt that Argentina will advance from their group where the opponents are not so strong but they'll be facing much stronger teams in the next stages. the question is will Messi show the same quality against France or Spain? higher-level teams will play harder against Messi preventing him from showing his true quality.

[Qhunman]

That's true bro. Messi is actually a good player indeed and time has proven that and even better. Messi has been a very lucky player right from when he kick started his football career at the very earlier stage of his life, however he hasn't experience a more serious injury that would have probably jeopardize his football career and also, he has connected and worked with great teams that I believe have also contributed immensely to the success is enjoying today. The guy has already made a name for himself and I'm so happy for him. However, another season is here and his fans are already expecting more from him which I believe is well to do any point in time.

Messi is truly an amazing player,the way he dribbles players is what I love about him. Messi could dribble from midfield to the defence and score,no players can ever do it like Messi even Cristiano Ronaldo can't. Messi is more skillful than Cristiano Ronaldo no doubting that even Cristiano Ronaldo fans know what am saying is the truth  but I know they won't accept it. If you watch how Messi plays compare to Ronaldo,the difference between them is clear for one to see that Messi is the best player. However, Ronaldo is also a great player but Messi is the greatest,the real G.O.A.T in football.

[Stormisover]

Isn't this just an over-hype. Don't get me wrong, I love Messi. He is one of my fav players of all time. And yes, I consider him the GOAT because of his numerous achievements. But you can't say he is undisputed because of just this one game. Let's see his overall performance in the tournament before we jump into conclusions.

Maybe Algeria is a bad matchup for him, and he completely dominated because the game was in his favor (didn't watch the game BTW). So let's not just use this 1 game to draw our conclusions.

How can one person decide the choice of everybody, if he consider Messi his GOAT that doesn't mean the next man look at him that way, your preference can't be the next person preference, besides he's not the first to score a hat-trick on a world cup game, at least Kylian Mbappe did it against him even in a final, so now what should we call Kylian Mbappe because he scored a hat-trick against Messi, take it or leave it, world cup trophy or not, he is not the GOAT and can never be, he's a FIFA boy and that's the fact, just imagine a Paraguay player got a red card for covering his mouth to talk to someone, but before that Messi did it and no one said nothing, isn't it obvious he's FIFA boy?

[Agbe]

Messi performance is indeed extraordinary in this World Cup, his success in scoring a hat-trick in the biggest competition at the age of 38 shows a brilliant playing vision and genius that is hard to match, his productivity is still the same as when he was younger proves his status as one of the most natural talents in history.

But my prediction is still against them. I have done my analysis even though Argentina will play the final, they will not win the World Cup Title. And my prediction in this 2026 World Cup winner will be either France, USA or another Country but not Argentina. And this will be the last World Cup for Messi base on his age. After this tournament, he will have to rest from National Football and become a elder statesman in football to younger generation.

[Warkop]

We dont really know what will be the outcome of this world cup tournament and I don't really see the possiblity of Messi helping his team to win the world cup again. This should be the last world cup competition for both Messi and Ronaldo and this will be one of the sweetest world cup tournament in history and we have already started seeing how competitive it's gonna be.

You have a point, I think people should at least wait for the tournament to end before getting excited. But there is a possibility that Messi is going to help his country to win the world cup because if they win it's going to be a big win for him as well. The competition between Messi and Ronaldo just got more intense and I cannot really wait to see the final outcome of the world cup.

I want to see how far Messi will bring his country in this world cup, I know this is still in the group phase plus Group J is not too complicated for Argentina so there is nothing for Argentina to be afraid of, because the opponents they face are not that complicated, but I want to see in the next round whether Argentina will be able to fight against strong teams, this world cup is not about Messi and Ronaldo but many teams have the potential to go further ahead of Argentina and Portugal.

[Razmirraz]

Messi performance is indeed extraordinary in this World Cup, his success in scoring a hat-trick in the biggest competition at the age of 38 shows a brilliant playing vision and genius that is hard to match, his productivity is still the same as when he was younger proves his status as one of the most natural talents in history.

But my prediction is still against them. I have done my analysis even though Argentina will play the final, they will not win the World Cup Title. And my prediction in this 2026 World Cup winner will be either France, USA or another Country but not Argentina. And this will be the last World Cup for Messi base on his age. After this tournament, he will have to rest from National Football and become a elder statesman in football to younger generation.

Winning the World Cup trophy is every footballer's dream, including Messi, who led Argentina to victory in the top-tier competition in the last edition. In football, there are 11 players who work together to achieve the same goal. Here, it is clear that the success of a team is not an individual factor, but the result of teamwork. It is clear that this is the last World Cup for Messi, he will try to give his best to help his country defend the title, even if he fails in the end, at least he has given his all. I wouldn't blame him if Argentina failed to win the trophy because the competition in this competition is really very competitive.

[Filicius]

Messi performance is indeed extraordinary in this World Cup, his success in scoring a hat-trick in the biggest competition at the age of 38 shows a brilliant playing vision and genius that is hard to match, his productivity is still the same as when he was younger proves his status as one of the most natural talents in history.

But my prediction is still against them. I have done my analysis even though Argentina will play the final, they will not win the World Cup Title. And my prediction in this 2026 World Cup winner will be either France, USA or another Country but not Argentina. And this will be the last World Cup for Messi base on his age. After this tournament, he will have to rest from National Football and become a elder statesman in football to younger generation.

Messi's performance has been incredible and comparisons have not been long in coming, but let's remember that things can change a lot from one game to another. As for Argentina being able to win the World Cup, I do think it has a good chance, but there are many other teams as promising or more. I understand that it is not your choice of preference, but not that you foresee the victory of the USA or "another Country" and not that of Argentina.

[YOSHIE]

The result and performance of theis current FIFA world cup should end the debate and comparison of messi with any other player. Congratulations to the GOAT on securing the Argentine side with a victory and a bargged 3 point

Maybe what you say is right, there should be no more debate about Lionel Messi, with the record that Messi has done in the history of football, many times in the world cup in different years, all of that can be taken into consideration of everything that has happened.

I salute and deserve appreciation for the GOAT who has written Lionel Messi's football history in gold, where Lionel Messi has proven to be an extraordinary player, even at the age of 38, can still prove and give his best for Argentina, even though he is a little down physically, but he is still enthusiastic about defending Argentina in the 2026 world cup, this is a historical evolution that cannot be forgotten by anyone, even though money is the offer.

[dzonikg28]

You have a point, I think people should at least wait for the tournament to end before getting excited. But there is a possibility that Messi is going to help his country to win the world cup because if they win it's going to be a big win for him as well. The competition between Messi and Ronaldo just got more intense and I cannot really wait to see the final outcome of the world cup.

Messi had a good start in the competition and it is putting pressure on Ronaldo. I know the Portuguese player knows what is at stake so he would do his best in the next game against Uzbekistan. From the onset, I predicted that he would not have a good outing in the World Cup. From the few games I watched in the SPL, I believe his quality has reduced. I thought he would have served as a non-formal official
/ player rather than a key player. He would have served as a motivator to youngsters rather than a key player.

You have one of two options as a player like Ronaldo while you are aging. The quality of his play will go down because he is not as explosive anymore and can't run and dribble as fast anymore, or they become more of a team player and try to contribute to their team in all possible ways. He can't wait for everyone else to serve him the ball so he can take his chances. That is not what his teammates want from him unless he scores two goals every match and then everyone shuts up, but this is not what is going on.

I think this World Cup will have a lot of predictive power for Ronaldo's future in the national team. If he doesn't score in the next match, the voices will become much louder against him and he risks to be viewed as an average at best. Neves already said that Ronaldo is no different and has no outstanding role within the team. You can see that these younger stars are rising and they can't ignore what is being discussed in the public. It is normal that they try to build their own legacy and if another player stands in the way because he can't find the right timing to say goodbye, make no mistake but see how they will quietly and precisely attack him.

[rachael9385]

But my prediction is still against them. I have done my analysis even though Argentina will play the final, they will not win the World Cup Title. And my prediction in this 2026 World Cup winner will be either France, USA or another Country but not Argentina. And this will be the last World Cup for Messi base on his age. After this tournament, he will have to rest from National Football and become a elder statesman in football to younger generation.

Well that's the reason why it's called a prediction, you might not really be right on this but there's still a chance that you Argentina might not win the world cup. The countries you mentioned also have a high chance of winning the trophy but we cannot be sure of the outcome just yet. Right now a lot of people are betting on Argentina to win, I think if this is going to be his last world cup it would be more fulfilling for him if his country wins.

[LUCKMCFLY]

‎I totally agree with you that Messi is a real GOAT in this game and he has kept proving it for years. His consistency is topnotch, I must admit.
From staying focused in his early age to sticking to it in his late 30s guy, he is good no doubt.
‎So I won't argue with you over this because it's not even over hyped it's real.

But I beg to differ when you say no one will ever be like him in this world. Guy the world is just beginning for some good, skillful and games deciding players, so I still believe there are more GOATs to be made in this world.
Before him (Messi) there were names written down as the greatest of all time, even though it wasn't what they were called at their time, but it's still there. I understand it's coming from the place of love for Messi, but it's a no for me. New methods of games are coming, young people are coming. The game will keep evolving.

If Messi hadn't received so much help since the last World Cup, I think I'd appreciate him a bit more, but the way FIFA helps Messi is outrageous. I understand that many people like him, but I hate favoritism and anything that has to do with politics, and even if FIFA says it doesn't, that still exists, along with corruption at its highest level.

[Daniel91]

‎I totally agree with you that Messi is a real GOAT in this game and he has kept proving it for years. His consistency is topnotch, I must admit.
From staying focused in his early age to sticking to it in his late 30s guy, he is good no doubt.
‎So I won't argue with you over this because it's not even over hyped it's real.

But I beg to differ when you say no one will ever be like him in this world. Guy the world is just beginning for some good, skillful and games deciding players, so I still believe there are more GOATs to be made in this world.
Before him (Messi) there were names written down as the greatest of all time, even though it wasn't what they were called at their time, but it's still there. I understand it's coming from the place of love for Messi, but it's a no for me. New methods of games are coming, young people are coming. The game will keep evolving.

If Messi hadn't received so much help since the last World Cup, I think I'd appreciate him a bit more, but the way FIFA helps Messi is outrageous. I understand that many people like him, but I hate favoritism and anything that has to do with politics, and even if FIFA says it doesn't, that still exists, along with corruption at its highest level.

Yes, unfortunately I can partially agree with this.
It is obvious that at the last World Cup in Qatar there were several refereeing errors that helped the Argentine team, but even without that, it must be admitted that Messi played superbly and that Argentina deservedly became world champion.
However, some refereeing errors, which went to the side of Argentina, left a stain on that triumph.
That title was probably the last thing Messi needed to become the GOAT and surpass the legend and fame of Maradona in his homeland.
It is unlikely that anyone will surpass him in a long time, in Argentina and probably much wider
Unlike Ronaldo, Messi is very good at this World Cup as well, so it is not impossible that he will lead Argentina to the title again.

[Gozie51]

There is still speculation that Ronaldo might as well join Portugal at the next world cup that Portugal will co-host in 2030 alongside Morocco and Spain. Although Ronaldo initially saw this particular world cup as his last but he is still not confirm the news that he would play at the next world cup at 45 years.

Ronaldo is 41 years old, 4 years from now he will be 45. No manager will want to waste one opening for a player that won't contribute to the tournament, at this current age and what is going on in Portugal squad, there is no way Ronaldo will be here for another World Cup, this is the last World Cup for him and Messi, don't believe such rumors.

What you said about the impossibility of Ronaldo coming to the next world cup at 45 made me to check for the record on how old is the oldest player to have played in the world cup history and I got to know that we already have someone like that at 45 years and that is Essam El-Hadary from Egypt. He was 45 years and 161 days in 2018 world cup against Saudi Arabia. So you see the possibility is still there for Ronaldo or any other player to even want to beat that record. I don't think FIFA has limited the age for players to feature at the world cup. What matters is if the player is fit and willing to participate. With the way Ronaldo keeps fit and still actively involved in his club, he may want to play a world cup in home soul.

[yixichloro2xx]

‎I totally agree with you that Messi is a real GOAT in this game and he has kept proving it for years. His consistency is topnotch, I must admit.
From staying focused in his early age to sticking to it in his late 30s guy, he is good no doubt.
‎So I won't argue with you over this because it's not even over hyped it's real.

But I beg to differ when you say no one will ever be like him in this world. Guy the world is just beginning for some good, skillful and games deciding players, so I still believe there are more GOATs to be made in this world.
Before him (Messi) there were names written down as the greatest of all time, even though it wasn't what they were called at their time, but it's still there. I understand it's coming from the place of love for Messi, but it's a no for me. New methods of games are coming, young people are coming. The game will keep evolving.

If Messi hadn't received so much help since the last World Cup, I think I'd appreciate him a bit more, but the way FIFA helps Messi is outrageous. I understand that many people like him, but I hate favoritism and anything that has to do with politics, and even if FIFA says it doesn't, that still exists, along with corruption at its highest level.

Okay, can you list several ways FIFA has helped lionel Messi , I want to understand the favoritism most of you guys talked about, did FFa help him to win the world cup? Or did FIFA tell Touchmeni to miss his pk. Or was it FIFA that helped Morocco to knock your Goat country in the Quarter finals. I don't just understand what is the problem with you rival fans because Whenever Lionel Messi achieves something, you guys always look for ways to find fault. Bring your evidence of the favoritism, because the whole world watch the world cup yet it's only rival or Ronaldo fans that is having issues with it. He doesn't need your appreciation, he doesn't even know you, so go stick with your goat.

[Razmirraz]

Snip.

What you said about the impossibility of Ronaldo coming to the next world cup at 45 made me to check for the record on how old is the oldest player to have played in the world cup history and I got to know that we already have someone like that at 45 years and that is Essam El-Hadary from Egypt. He was 45 years and 161 days in 2018 world cup against Saudi Arabia. So you see the possibility is still there for Ronaldo or any other player to even want to beat that record. I don't think FIFA has limited the age for players to feature at the world cup. What matters is if the player is fit and willing to participate. With the way Ronaldo keeps fit and still actively involved in his club, he may want to play a world cup in home soul.

FIFA has never made a rule limiting the age of players to appear in the World Cup. It all comes down to the fitness, performance and willingness of the players as that is the single biggest determinant. It is true that the record for the oldest player in the World Cup is still held by Egyptian player Essam El-Hadary, but the reason he was called up to the national team was because of his position as a goalkeeper, if he played in another position, the chances of him appearing in the World Cup at the age of 45 years and 161 days are very small.

For now, age is just a number for Ronaldo, he still has incredible physical dedication at both club and national team level. If he can maintain his fitness until he is 45, then the possibility of appearing in the next World Cup is still open. But the problem is that Ronaldo plays in a central position and Portugal also has no shortage of star players in its squad, if the coach gives him the honor at the next World Cup, then he has the opportunity to break the record.

[sompitonov]

FIFA has never made a rule limiting the age of players to appear in the World Cup. It all comes down to the fitness, performance and willingness of the players as that is the single biggest determinant. It is true that the record for the oldest player in the World Cup is still held by Egyptian player Essam El-Hadary, but the reason he was called up to the national team was because of his position as a goalkeeper, if he played in another position, the chances of him appearing in the World Cup at the age of 45 years and 161 days are very small.

For now, age is just a number for Ronaldo, he still has incredible physical dedication at both club and national team level. If he can maintain his fitness until he is 45, then the possibility of appearing in the next World Cup is still open. But the problem is that Ronaldo plays in a central position and Portugal also has no shortage of star players in its squad, if the coach gives him the honor at the next World Cup, then he has the opportunity to break the record.

Playing in the World Cup at 45 is certainly not a smart move, in my opinion, and there are certainly young goalkeepers in the country who could be just as good. Maybe he just wanted to go to the World Cup or was using his authority, which was strong and influential, but that's my suspicion. I can't imagine what kind of physical fitness and reaction speed a player of that age needs to be to catch balls accurately. As for Messi, he's like an exception to the rule, like time has stood still and he's playing like he did 15 years ago. Ronaldo is certainly in decent physical condition, but in the last game he looked like a redundant player, taking on too much pressure while failing to capitalize.

[Decimetre]

FIFA has never made a rule limiting the age of players to appear in the World Cup. It all comes down to the fitness, performance and willingness of the players as that is the single biggest determinant. It is true that the record for the oldest player in the World Cup is still held by Egyptian player Essam El-Hadary, but the reason he was called up to the national team was because of his position as a goalkeeper, if he played in another position, the chances of him appearing in the World Cup at the age of 45 years and 161 days are very small.

For now, age is just a number for Ronaldo, he still has incredible physical dedication at both club and national team level. If he can maintain his fitness until he is 45, then the possibility of appearing in the next World Cup is still open. But the problem is that Ronaldo plays in a central position and Portugal also has no shortage of star players in its squad, if the coach gives him the honor at the next World Cup, then he has the opportunity to break the record.

Playing in the World Cup at 45 is certainly not a smart move, in my opinion, and there are certainly young goalkeepers in the country who could be just as good. Maybe he just wanted to go to the World Cup or was using his authority, which was strong and influential, but that's my suspicion. I can't imagine what kind of physical fitness and reaction speed a player of that age needs to be to catch balls accurately. As for Messi, he's like an exception to the rule, like time has stood still and he's playing like he did 15 years ago. Ronaldo is certainly in decent physical condition, but in the last game he looked like a redundant player, taking on too much pressure while failing to capitalize.

Playing in the world cup at 45 will only be for history's sake and not for any impact in the game. Age has a serious way of affecting players performance, their reflexes and their speed. Some players who have attempted playing for a very long time have most times had a bad stats towards the end. In this year's world cup, the oldest player is the Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon and we can all see that he's only a reserve keeper and haven't featured yet because even the manager understands how age works.

Let's talk about the likes of Ronaldo who is currently 41 years, we saw how his performance has been and it's not encouraging at all even though fans blame it on the fact that he was not receiving enough balls. But the Ronaldo we grew up watching was way better than the one we're seeing now. His performance in the 2018 world cup was great and his performance in 2022 also dropped. Now if Ronaldo comes back at 45, he will be as good as finished with little or no impact. Messi is performing real good now and could even come back at 42  to play and he will perform better than 41 years Ronaldo. Age is a strong factor and any player approaching 40 should retire honourably.