I don't really know much about this but apparently Messi abused the linesman and has been banned for 4 games. That would mean that Messi is virtually out of the World Cup Qualifiers. Think this is too harsh since FIFA usually does 4 match bans in cases of violence. And this being told the players and team hours before their match is a bit slow on FIFA's part.

Golazo your argument is ridiculous. What does comparing Messi to Lew or Poland to Argentina have anything to with the topic and or Messi being Argentinas most important player? We lost finals, so what? He missed a pk, so what? He didn't lose alone. There was a whole team that lost. Messi did his best and sometimes its not enough. I've never blamed messi for losing nor will I ever do it. Messi will always be better than Maradona on and off the pitch. He doesn't need a WC to prove it.

Sometimes we need to put things into perspective in order to know how to judge our own opinion, Lewandowski is a world class player that wouldn't have any difficulties playing in any world qualifier team so you kind of tried to make it look like it's easy for him in Europe while it's so much harder for anyone outside Europe but when I pointed out that Messi has a much better team around him you almost tried to compare Poland to Argentina.

How do you know that Lewandowski will be forgotten?

As far as I know Lewandowski won 2 Bundesliga titles with Dortmund in a row which is amazing considering that Bayern rules there usually, and he won 2 more league titles with Bayern later on. He's already a part of German's football history.

Anyway, Lewandowski has a good scoring ratio for his country, similar to Messi, 0.49 goals per game so they are really comparable in those terms.

We lost finals, so what? He missed a pk, so what? He didn't lose alone.

So every time when Argentina wins it's because of Messi but every time he fails it's the whole team to blame. You proved everything I have been trying to say. So what? Nothing, Maradona > Messi so what?

mate are you good? why do you keep bringing up lewa? he's irrelevant to this whole conversation. and he's not even close to being worthy of comparison to messi. no CL. less cup and league trophies. less goals. less individual awards.

this is a team sport. 11 players lose, 11 players win.

How have I proven anything? All you have been proclaiming is something irrelevant of Lewa of him being just as good as Messi internationally. I've never said when argentina wins It's because of Messi, personally I rather thank Mascherano because he is our unofficial Captain that leads. You are entitled to your opinion, just know that more than half or Argentina doesn't agree with you. Maradona has proven his incompetence over and over again.

So it's a team sport but...Argentina is nothing without Messi. I don't get the constant contradicting points that are stated here. So confusing, if Messi can't be blamed for not winning titles for his country who can? Oh I get it, when they lose it's the whole team but in case they win in any possible way = Messi is the best period. So funny.

Maradona has proven his incompetence over and over again.

He won the World cup, and lost a World Cup final, Messi didn't win any and also lost one World Cup final.
If you are talking about him being the coach of Argentina then it's different.

no one is saying this, i think you've gone mad. a team can be great, with under performing players and over performing players. that's the whole basis of the man of the match award.

a team can win, with everyone performing well.
a team can win, with some/one performing well.
a team can lose, with everyone performing badly.
a team can lose, with some/one performing badly

it depends on the game. a team can win a game. and a single player can win a game. "when they lose it's the whole team but in case they win in any possible way = Messi is the best period." - this is very dependent on the game.

@golazo111 i think raimondo was referring to maradona off the pitch. stop tunnel visioning everything...

Golazo is winning a WC the end all be all of the best players ever? Would you claim Germanys 3rd choice gk to be one of the best ever because he won a wc? It's one of the most prestigious achievements in football but it is not a measurement of how good a player is or was.
Argentina is a whole different team when Messi plays, that's when we are at our best. That does not indicate we win only because of him. He has 10 other team mates that gotta play their roles to contribute.
I think your distaste for messi or argentina arise from argentina beating Mexico with that glorious chip from messi, or when Maxi did that incredible volley. But that's just a guess since you support America.

1986 WC

magesterial chip

is winning a WC the end all be all of the best players ever? Would you claim Germanys 3rd choice gk to be one of the best ever because he won a wc? It's one of the most prestigious achievements in football but it is not a measurement of how good a player is or was.

Yes it's a big thing to win a World Cup, Germany's 3rd gk winning it and Maradona winning it are also two different things, Maradona winning the World Cup was so huge, that made him the best player of all time in the eyes of many and it was in an important time for his country. Strange that you are not capable of making a difference between them, considering that you are from Argentina.

Maradona winning the World Cup was so huge, that made him the best player of all time in the eyes of many and it was in an important time for his country.

Messi winning multiple CLs, leagues, cups, balon do'rs..etc was so huge, that made him the best player of all time in the eyes of many and it was an important time for his country.

• see same thing can be said. argentines are proud of what messi has achieved, he has given pride to the country. he is one of the best players of all time and we root for him.

"Lo bancamos hasta el final" = we stand with him till the end

You are just wasting your time guys the guy is simply a hater...

@sun In big games, The only player marked off ball in the team is Messi, he changes zone in the field several times, sometimes he just walks trying to be forgotten, fact is that every coach ( smart coach ) give players special zonal marking instructions about him, even Cavani did Some defensive marking about him when he tries to drop deep, if that was easier for him to get the ball he wouldn't drop that deep.

There is no stat that shows how you mark a player, possession Is an argument to Barca concededing less goals, Messi's presence is another one. If you watched Bosnia game, Iran game, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland and even the final, He got no room to get the ball correctly and the most attacking nations couldn't attack the way they usually do.

In Clasicos, Isco, Marcelo, Pepe, Ramos, Casemiro, Modric have all defensive duties zonal and man marking depending on his location, his heat map is just weird In big games and it has nothing with him being unorganized, they oblige him to switch positions and he oblige them to look at his position even when they got the ball.

When the duty is not done, instant tactical foul before he takes speed. The reason why few teams are able to neutralize him, He demands a collective intelligence and perfect team work to stop him for 90 min.

It may look unreel for you, but at least now you will start looking to his position off ball like I do, sometimes Barca players job is to get him balls in position, do some runs to get few defenders away from his zone, reason why Sergi and Rakitic are very easy to find.
If he is not the most marked player of the world, then who is the player then ?

Messi winning multiple CLs, leagues, cups, balon do'rs..etc was so huge, that made him the best player of all time in the eyes of many and it was an important time for his country.
see same thing can be said. argentines are proud of what messi has achieved, he has given pride to the country. he is one of the best players of all time and we root for him.

Nothing for his country which is the difference I'm pointing out.

olympic gold. same as neymar.

wait, can someone plz tell me if this applies to barca or only international games? because he didnt play vs granada yesterday

Nothing for his country which is the difference I'm pointing out.

Argentina wouldn't even reach any of Copa America finals or World Cup final without Messi. They would get trashed probably in first knockout-round if they were not out already in the group.