By Andrew Aloia BBC Sport Last updated on 11 October 2021 11 October 2021 . From the section Football Watson was a trailblazer who helped transform how football was played There are two murals of black footballers facing one another across an alleyway in Glasgow. One helped shape football as we know it, the other is Pele. Andrew Watson captained Scotland to a 6-1 win over England on his debut in 1881. He was a pioneer, the world's first black international, but for more than a century the significance of his achievements went unrecognised. Research conducted over the past three decades has left us with some biographical details: a man descended of slaves and of those who enslaved them, born in Guyana, raised to become an English gentleman and famed as one of Scottish football's first icons. And yet today, 100 years on from his death aged 64, Watson remains something of an enigma, the picture built around him a fractured one. His grainy, faded, sepia image evokes many differen...
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Lionel Messi: Pele and Maradona’s conversation about the Barcelona star in 2016
Barcelona and Argentina icon Lionel Messi cemented his status as an all-time great very early during his illustrious career.
Now 33, there’s no doubt that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner will sit alongside Pele and Diego Maradona on the pantheon of footballing legends after hanging up his boots.
However, in the eyes of some football fans, Messi’s failure to lift the World Cup with Argentina will always give Pele and Maradona the edge when it comes to the GOAT (Greatest of all time) debate.
Messi came agonisingly close to getting his hands on the World Cup trophy in 2014 but was a beaten finalist against Germany.
The world-class forward, though, still received the prestigious Golden Ball award after being named the tournament’s standout player.
Qatar 2022 might be Messi’s final chance to win the World Cup, although you certainly wouldn’t rule him out competing at the 2026 World Cup finals, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Messi is currently captain of both Barça and Argentina, despite the fact he’s not the most vocal of players on the pitch. He leads by example with his actions, rather than his words.
His compatriot, Maradona, was a totally different character in terms of personality.
Blessed with an extraordinary natural talent, Maradona was also a true leader on the pitch and inside the dressing room.
And Maradona, who sadly passed away at the age of 60 in November 2020, was once overheard giving Pele his honest thoughts about Messi.
During an event in Paris back in June 2016, Pele was filmed asking Maradona: “Diego, do you know Messi personally?”
Maradona replied: “Yes, yes, but…”
Pele interjected: “Is he a good person? I don’t know him, I know him from…”
Maradona then said: “He is a good person, but he has no personality. He doesn’t have much personality, like how to be a leader.”
Pele responded: “Ah, I understand.
“Like there were many [players like this] in our time.”
Maradona added: “Exactly, many players, many…”
Pele then said: “In 1970, there was Rivelino. I was speaking about Messi, the Argentina of Messi. He said that Messi is a great player, there is no doubt, but he has no personality.”
Watch the clip here…
This remarkable footage of Maradona and Pele’s conversation shows the former clearly felt at the time that Messi lacked personality.
Compared to Maradona, Messi probably does lack personality. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a worse player than the 1986 World Cup hero.
Since Maradona’s 2016 comments, Messi has added further weight to the argument (certainly in many fans’ eyes) that he is the greatest footballer in history.
By Andrew Aloia BBC Sport Last updated on 11 October 2021 11 October 2021 . From the section Football Watson was a trailblazer who helped transform how football was played There are two murals of black footballers facing one another across an alleyway in Glasgow. One helped shape football as we know it, the other is Pele. Andrew Watson captained Scotland to a 6-1 win over England on his debut in 1881. He was a pioneer, the world's first black international, but for more than a century the significance of his achievements went unrecognised. Research conducted over the past three decades has left us with some biographical details: a man descended of slaves and of those who enslaved them, born in Guyana, raised to become an English gentleman and famed as one of Scottish football's first icons. And yet today, 100 years on from his death aged 64, Watson remains something of an enigma, the picture built around him a fractured one. His grainy, faded, sepia image evokes many differen...
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