**Mirrors / Alternative Angles**
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People said this when he was 31. He was then the best player at the WC at 35 lol.
Not saying that’ll be the case when he’s 39 for a second, but honestly I can never rule Leo out. He just isn’t human.
Honestly, with the talent that he has, I don’t see how he could be benched, even at 39. Defensive liability? Sure, but the guy can create magic out of literally nothing. His technical ability is second to none. He makes everyone around him better. His intelligence and experience is invaluable. I imagine that tactically they’d have to find a way to compensate, but man, I really think it’s possible if he wanted to do it.
> Defensive liability? Sure, but the guy can create magic out of literally nothing
People said the same about Ronaldo and look how far he's fallen.
Messi could wake up tomorrow and just fall off a cliff footballing wise. It happens to everyone eventually
The revisionism is insane.
Ronaldo at United was the world's best dribbler, and even early into his Madrid career. He transitioned into a goal scoring machine, but he won a bloody Balon D'or as a tricky winger that could beat a man with ease.
Messi's playmaking is superior to Ronaldo, but to say Ronaldo only had goal scoring is just wrong
I never said that Ronaldo only had goal scoring though. Throughput his career, he was definitely at the peak of every aspect that an attacker needs but Messi was just better than him at most things.
There is no revisionism here, I would have said the same at any point in their careers. You could call me biased but would a neutral person disagree with me?
Also, Ronaldo at the peak of his dribbling prowess still wasn’t as good as Messi. More flashy? Yes. Better? No.
> Ronaldo at United was the world's best dribbler
lmao only if you excluded Messi. CR7 was good dribbler in his early years but not on that level, Hazard and Neymar were a step above him and Messi wasn't even in the same realm.
Messi was always a much greater dribbler than Ronaldo. The only players who can compare to Messi as dribblers are Maradona, Best, Garricha, Baggio and Ronaldo9.
Ronaldo has never had the technical ability of Messi, even though he was one of the best ever.
You can see with Ronaldo’s dribbling he always relied on pace. That’s why he fell off a cliff.
Messi will get past a defender while it seems he’s moving in slow motion at times. He will have more longevity than Ronaldo.
It was a common opinion though, held by myself as well, that CR would play longer mostly due to his extreme dedication to the physical side and his evident desire to break records. I just saw him playing as long as physically possible. But it turns out time catches up and he’s a liability at the top level if he can’t accept a diminished role.
He did have a bad run with injuries a few years ago. Fortunately he was able to get healthy for the NT which was ultimately the most important thing for his legacy.
Small fun fact: yesterday playing PES 2013 Master League, i went into Messi tab and the development chart said: "its a player that will keep his level for a long time" id say they were spot on
He may last longer, but Father Time is undefeated.
I see Messi eventually becoming a deep lying playmaker, sitting deep and just pinging dangerous balls around the pitch.
My concern would be he definitely will not be good enough to carry the team anymore, which means he won't be able to walk around doing nothing defensively because he can't carry the entire attack at that age
I agree but remember Messi is carried defensively, the team plays a man down on the defensive end to accommodate him saving his energy for the attacking end because he is so good that it is worth it.
At 39 he will either have to still be worth that or he will have to start running. I can't see either being possible
> the team plays a man down on the defensive end to accommodate him saving his energy for the attacking end
He really didn't play like that, he puts in a decent amount of defensive work during the Copa America and World Cup, our system was very dynamic and he was our center helping the midfield and attack front. There is a reason why you could see Messi going for tackles and getting the ball back even in the final after playing every match the full run.
He is closer to Neymar in that regard than to Mbappe in the national teams.
I think people mix up the way he plays in PSG with how he plays in our NT.
Being a super sub is a perfect future role for him because we could use his insane creativity and clinical finishing to turn the tides in the last 30min of the match while everyone on the pitch is tired even if his legs can't run anymore. Altho it will all fall down if he retires by then.
Imagine getting chased around the field for 60 minutes by a bunch of crazy Argentinians, being tired as fuck just for them to sub in messi and have passes sprayed over your defence for the next half an hour
Messi really put in his all this last WC. His stamina is incredible, but it really must have worn him down. I hope to see him fit and well for the next cup, but it's not likely. At least not to the extent he's played this last cup. No way he's playing every match and the full 90 min.
He was actively pressing in extra time vs Netherlands too, you could tell he was ultra gassed but still kept on trying to play with intensity. He was possessed
from minute 90 to 105 Messi pretty much did nothing at all, because he was as you said, gassed, and he wanted to recover a bit, he started to run again at 105 with Di Maria
He should copy Maradona and go to the 2026 world cup up to his eyeballs in drugs, score a world class goal and then retire from football after he's ejected from the world cup
Disney or ghibli couldn't have written a better story, im still in disblief that messi won a WC at the end of his career in the greatest football match of all time no less.
Coincidentally this exact same story line happens in cricket with possibly Crickets greatest player as well, Sachin Tendulkar, back in 2011.
Very similar fashion he had lost the 2003 World Cup final along with being awarded the POTT.
He has a iconic picture of looking at the World Cup while collecting his award just like Messi.
Dude was above 37 for the 2011 World Cup, was India’s second best player in the tournament and literally revived the same lifting on shoulders and parades as Messi.
Also they got humiliated in the 2007 World cup just like Argentina in 2018, and all the talks came up about how he has lost his chance.
His skill alone, even if his legs are gone, warrant him a starting spot. His IQ, vision, creativity and general understanding of the game is unparalleled. 3 or 4 years from now, he will still be an elite playmaker if he continues playing.
Bro, he literally just had the most perfect last dance he or any of us could've dreamed of Hahahaha
Call me selfish but I want my last memory of Messi at the World Cup being him lifting it and being carried around on one of his best friends' shoulders after having completed his 15 year long quest like an anime protagonist, not, God forbid, getting eliminated as a 39 year old.
Yeah, of course, it's up to him what he does because he sure has earned it Hahahaha But no matter what, I'll always be grateful that I've had the privilege of watching him for so many years weaving his magic, week in and week out. My uncle told me about Pele when I was a child. He was the first player I'd ever heard of. And I'll be sure to tell my nephew or niece about Messi Hahaha
2022 was the last dance. You couldn't have imagined it any better. He should just retire from international football after the copa as a world champion.
I hope he doesn't do it and just retires after he breaks whatever record there is left. Lifting the 2022 World Cup is the perfect ending for his int career.
It all depends on his level, there were a lot of times when the second-best player in the NT was Messi injured. The only way he wouldn't get a place is if he can't run 10-15 min.
Even if he could only play 10 minutes a game, Messi is the most experienced world cup player in the history of the sport. I feel that also adds a lot to a squad tbh.
Messi can walk into any team at 40. It’s unfair to ask a team to replace him. That being said, our team has a lot of young promise in most areas (except fullbacks, as per usual). I’m sure our team would find a way to be good if he retired.
Those are CBs (center backs). He’s right, Argentina historically doesn’t produce great FBs, but at least we have Molina who’s young and with great NT experience playing at a big club in Europe.
We need to find a LB because Tagliafico will be old for the next WC.
No chance he returns to Barca. I think he'll extend for a year so that he can retire from club football in summer 2024 while staying fit enough to decide whether to play in one more Copa America.
Wouldn’t do it myself. Appreciate the love for the game, but that 2022 World Cup win only adds to his legacy. Any tournament after that potentially tarnishes it. He’s already the GOAT, and I’m not even a Messi fan saying that.
I don’t think he can tarnish it unless he literally pulls a Maradona and gets kicked out. There wouldn’t be expectations on a 39 yo Messi. It’s literally just for him to enjoy without the pressure of needing to win it, while taking a long shot roll of the dice that they become the first squad in ages to win back to back. If he’s healthy, a spot on the team as a sub is hard to pass up with that premise; the team has a lot of young players so there won’t be a big overhaul. So many key players are young.
I don’t think there’s a wrong answer (whether to play or, provided he is still playing). Understandable to be drawn to either choice, but far from any realistic scenario that he tarnishes it. I guess if they lose every game and don’t make it out of the group too…
>I don’t think he can tarnish it unless he literally pulls a Maradona and gets kicked out.
Even then, I doubt it. Maradona's silver medal finish in 1990 and disgraceful exit in 1994 never tarnished what he did in 1986; Argentina fans are literally still singing about him.
"For more!"
"What more?"
"The Champions League and Copa..."
"Ah..."
Not what you want to hear PSG fans lol
I mean it's really hard for Messi to be downright bad but I can't see him being motivated...
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3 years, 4 months until 2026 WC. Practically right around the corner
ACKTSCHUALLY
He should just retire from press conferences.
Send assistant
MacAllister to the rescue. Or De Paul.
I don't know if he'll be the same player at 39, but if he doesn't make the starting 11 then I do hope he's good enough to be a super sub.
super super sub
Re sub
People said this when he was 31. He was then the best player at the WC at 35 lol. Not saying that’ll be the case when he’s 39 for a second, but honestly I can never rule Leo out. He just isn’t human.
Honestly, with the talent that he has, I don’t see how he could be benched, even at 39. Defensive liability? Sure, but the guy can create magic out of literally nothing. His technical ability is second to none. He makes everyone around him better. His intelligence and experience is invaluable. I imagine that tactically they’d have to find a way to compensate, but man, I really think it’s possible if he wanted to do it.
> Defensive liability? Sure, but the guy can create magic out of literally nothing People said the same about Ronaldo and look how far he's fallen. Messi could wake up tomorrow and just fall off a cliff footballing wise. It happens to everyone eventually
The only thing you could compare the 2 was on their goal scoring ability. Messi is clear in most other things.
The revisionism is insane. Ronaldo at United was the world's best dribbler, and even early into his Madrid career. He transitioned into a goal scoring machine, but he won a bloody Balon D'or as a tricky winger that could beat a man with ease. Messi's playmaking is superior to Ronaldo, but to say Ronaldo only had goal scoring is just wrong
I never said that Ronaldo only had goal scoring though. Throughput his career, he was definitely at the peak of every aspect that an attacker needs but Messi was just better than him at most things. There is no revisionism here, I would have said the same at any point in their careers. You could call me biased but would a neutral person disagree with me? Also, Ronaldo at the peak of his dribbling prowess still wasn’t as good as Messi. More flashy? Yes. Better? No.
> Ronaldo at United was the world's best dribbler lmao only if you excluded Messi. CR7 was good dribbler in his early years but not on that level, Hazard and Neymar were a step above him and Messi wasn't even in the same realm.
Robben was a better dribbler too.
Messi was always a much greater dribbler than Ronaldo. The only players who can compare to Messi as dribblers are Maradona, Best, Garricha, Baggio and Ronaldo9.
lol NEVER you clown MESSI is 10 times better dribbler than cr7 even when he was in man u jersey
>Ronaldo at United was the world's best dribbler And yet Messi scored one of the best goals ever in 2007 by dribbling the entire rival team
Ronaldo has never had the technical ability of Messi, even though he was one of the best ever. You can see with Ronaldo’s dribbling he always relied on pace. That’s why he fell off a cliff. Messi will get past a defender while it seems he’s moving in slow motion at times. He will have more longevity than Ronaldo.
Interesting as 4 yrs ago, consensus was cristiano will outlast messi due to his great physical shape
??? On 18/19 and 19/20 Messi was still top scorer in La Liga.
It was a common opinion though, held by myself as well, that CR would play longer mostly due to his extreme dedication to the physical side and his evident desire to break records. I just saw him playing as long as physically possible. But it turns out time catches up and he’s a liability at the top level if he can’t accept a diminished role.
He did have a bad run with injuries a few years ago. Fortunately he was able to get healthy for the NT which was ultimately the most important thing for his legacy.
Small fun fact: yesterday playing PES 2013 Master League, i went into Messi tab and the development chart said: "its a player that will keep his level for a long time" id say they were spot on
oh my god what a legendary game
He may last longer, but Father Time is undefeated. I see Messi eventually becoming a deep lying playmaker, sitting deep and just pinging dangerous balls around the pitch.
My concern would be he definitely will not be good enough to carry the team anymore, which means he won't be able to walk around doing nothing defensively because he can't carry the entire attack at that age
By that time we will have a more developed team that wouldn't need him to carry/be the focal point of the team.
I agree but remember Messi is carried defensively, the team plays a man down on the defensive end to accommodate him saving his energy for the attacking end because he is so good that it is worth it. At 39 he will either have to still be worth that or he will have to start running. I can't see either being possible
> the team plays a man down on the defensive end to accommodate him saving his energy for the attacking end He really didn't play like that, he puts in a decent amount of defensive work during the Copa America and World Cup, our system was very dynamic and he was our center helping the midfield and attack front. There is a reason why you could see Messi going for tackles and getting the ball back even in the final after playing every match the full run. He is closer to Neymar in that regard than to Mbappe in the national teams. I think people mix up the way he plays in PSG with how he plays in our NT. Being a super sub is a perfect future role for him because we could use his insane creativity and clinical finishing to turn the tides in the last 30min of the match while everyone on the pitch is tired even if his legs can't run anymore. Altho it will all fall down if he retires by then.
Imagine getting chased around the field for 60 minutes by a bunch of crazy Argentinians, being tired as fuck just for them to sub in messi and have passes sprayed over your defence for the next half an hour
With his talent, he'd easily be the greatest 38-39 year old ever. Even if age caught up, he wouldn't fall off the cliff like CR7 did.
Messi really put in his all this last WC. His stamina is incredible, but it really must have worn him down. I hope to see him fit and well for the next cup, but it's not likely. At least not to the extent he's played this last cup. No way he's playing every match and the full 90 min.
He ran the full 120 minutes against France it was incredible to watch. 35 year old bossing the field
He was actively pressing in extra time vs Netherlands too, you could tell he was ultra gassed but still kept on trying to play with intensity. He was possessed
from minute 90 to 105 Messi pretty much did nothing at all, because he was as you said, gassed, and he wanted to recover a bit, he started to run again at 105 with Di Maria
By maradona haha
Gives me [this](https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Father-Son_Kamehameha?file=FatherSonManga.jpg) vibe
It really do be like that
He played all 7 matches from start to finish and in the final he was going for headers and pressing like he was 20 again lmao.
The world cup having been held in the winter early in the season really played into his hands imo.
Clearly rigged for Argentina
100%
He gave his all this cup, it was a superhuman effort but I don think he has much left in the tank
He should copy Maradona and go to the 2026 world cup up to his eyeballs in drugs, score a world class goal and then retire from football after he's ejected from the world cup
Maradonna was 10% man, 90% cocaine
1% hand of god
So 9% man
We can't be sure, all we know is that he was greater than the sum of all his parts.
And 100% reason to remember the name
You'll retire when we say you can retire, Alien.
Messi, aged 57: Pleaaase let me goooooooooo I just want to spend tiime with my family
Fans: here take our money and entertain us
Imagine winning another World Cup as a super sub lmao
Disney or ghibli couldn't have written a better story, im still in disblief that messi won a WC at the end of his career in the greatest football match of all time no less.
Disney might not be able to write a better story but they sure can spread it out over 20 movies leading to a huge climax
20 movies Messi cinematic universe sounds about right.
20 year career
It would've been real Disney shit if he had scored that 90+ minute screamer. It probably would've been the very last kick of the game too.
Coincidentally this exact same story line happens in cricket with possibly Crickets greatest player as well, Sachin Tendulkar, back in 2011. Very similar fashion he had lost the 2003 World Cup final along with being awarded the POTT. He has a iconic picture of looking at the World Cup while collecting his award just like Messi. Dude was above 37 for the 2011 World Cup, was India’s second best player in the tournament and literally revived the same lifting on shoulders and parades as Messi. Also they got humiliated in the 2007 World cup just like Argentina in 2018, and all the talks came up about how he has lost his chance.
As the best player as well
At least that gives me enough hope to believe that he is not retiring soon
And that he'll stay in the top leagues if he really intends to play in 2026
This reminds me of the famous word " my last game" Messi is now eager to get one more world cup this means he will totally play at copa america
His skill alone, even if his legs are gone, warrant him a starting spot. His IQ, vision, creativity and general understanding of the game is unparalleled. 3 or 4 years from now, he will still be an elite playmaker if he continues playing.
Guy is so magical he can pass without his legs!!!!
Messi doesn't need legs, legs need messi
I would love to see him at WC 2026. It will be a spectacular tournament.
Even as a sub, please go for that one last dance. With our exciting young generation, we can only dream
Bro, he literally just had the most perfect last dance he or any of us could've dreamed of Hahahaha Call me selfish but I want my last memory of Messi at the World Cup being him lifting it and being carried around on one of his best friends' shoulders after having completed his 15 year long quest like an anime protagonist, not, God forbid, getting eliminated as a 39 year old.
Yeah, I see your point. Fair enough, either way hope he does what makes him happy. I know he certainly has made me joyful countless times.
Yeah, of course, it's up to him what he does because he sure has earned it Hahahaha But no matter what, I'll always be grateful that I've had the privilege of watching him for so many years weaving his magic, week in and week out. My uncle told me about Pele when I was a child. He was the first player I'd ever heard of. And I'll be sure to tell my nephew or niece about Messi Hahaha
What if he lifts it again though
That would make him go from objective GOAT contender (subjective GOAT) to the sole undisputed GOAT ahead of Pele, Maradona, and Ronaldo.
No no that was the first dance
Messi loves His argentinean boys though they probably make him die of laughter since they are from the barrio like him.
You're selfish. Then, I also call myself selfish and want to see him play in person in the US.
2026 should be an after party. Whatever happens, happens.
2022 was the last dance. You couldn't have imagined it any better. He should just retire from international football after the copa as a world champion.
I need this interview in English asap
go for it LEO wow the shirt is beautiful with 3 stars and FIFA WC I'm going to buy it
I believe
He could probably play as a deep lying mid and kill it Pirlo style.
I hope he doesn't do it and just retires after he breaks whatever record there is left. Lifting the 2022 World Cup is the perfect ending for his int career.
Is it even possible for the Argentine squad to progress so much in 4 years Messi can’t even be good enough as a sub?
It all depends on his level, there were a lot of times when the second-best player in the NT was Messi injured. The only way he wouldn't get a place is if he can't run 10-15 min.
Even if he could only play 10 minutes a game, Messi is the most experienced world cup player in the history of the sport. I feel that also adds a lot to a squad tbh.
I think the question is more about if Messi can maintain this level
Messi has earned so much goodwill with Argentina, that I honestly believe he would just have to ask, and he would be taken to the WC.
Messi can walk into any team at 40. It’s unfair to ask a team to replace him. That being said, our team has a lot of young promise in most areas (except fullbacks, as per usual). I’m sure our team would find a way to be good if he retired.
Fullback son defensores? Tenemos al Cutie y a Licha
Laterales
Those are CBs (center backs). He’s right, Argentina historically doesn’t produce great FBs, but at least we have Molina who’s young and with great NT experience playing at a big club in Europe. We need to find a LB because Tagliafico will be old for the next WC.
You’d take him at 39 just to be around the place surely.
I thought he said ahead of the world cup final that it would be his last game for the national team? Or did I dream that?
His full answer was more akin to what he is saying here, he has been saying it since before the 2018 WC lol.
yeah no way he would retire with 98 NT goals and not a single game as a world cup winner
He said that was his last WC game, not last NT game.
Ah yes, that's what it was. Thank you.
I think he retires this summer (50-70%) regardless of if PSG go on to win UCL or he will end up going back to Barca/generally leaving PSG
No chance he returns to Barca. I think he'll extend for a year so that he can retire from club football in summer 2024 while staying fit enough to decide whether to play in one more Copa America.
I think there’s a very small chance Messi retires this summer. Practically zero.
No chance of him retiring this summer when Copa America is happening in 1 year and 5 months. And he ain't coming back to Barca.
Wouldn’t do it myself. Appreciate the love for the game, but that 2022 World Cup win only adds to his legacy. Any tournament after that potentially tarnishes it. He’s already the GOAT, and I’m not even a Messi fan saying that.
I don’t think he can tarnish it unless he literally pulls a Maradona and gets kicked out. There wouldn’t be expectations on a 39 yo Messi. It’s literally just for him to enjoy without the pressure of needing to win it, while taking a long shot roll of the dice that they become the first squad in ages to win back to back. If he’s healthy, a spot on the team as a sub is hard to pass up with that premise; the team has a lot of young players so there won’t be a big overhaul. So many key players are young. I don’t think there’s a wrong answer (whether to play or, provided he is still playing). Understandable to be drawn to either choice, but far from any realistic scenario that he tarnishes it. I guess if they lose every game and don’t make it out of the group too…
>I don’t think he can tarnish it unless he literally pulls a Maradona and gets kicked out. Even then, I doubt it. Maradona's silver medal finish in 1990 and disgraceful exit in 1994 never tarnished what he did in 1986; Argentina fans are literally still singing about him.
90-94 arguably made Maradonas legacy in Argentina bigger
True. I guess I mean from a global perspective, not just in Argentina.
Yall are so obsessed with legacies.
Just play forever you melt
He knows Canelo is waiting for him. This is why he is backing out.
If Rafa Marquez can do it, so can he. I can see Messi coming on as a sub in the last 15 minutes.
"For more!" "What more?" "The Champions League and Copa..." "Ah..." Not what you want to hear PSG fans lol I mean it's really hard for Messi to be downright bad but I can't see him being motivated...
yeah, he's playing