There’s no debate to be had there. The real Ronaldo was on another level to Messi, he lit up World Cups where Messi flopped in them.
Let’s see him do that in the business end of a World Cup. I’m not holding my breath as I’ve seen him bottle it there before.
Well, thanks to Messi, we get one more chance of seeing him attempt it.
That wouldn’t have been in question if he delivered in the three previous games.
It’s a strange horse he’s climbed onto here all the same.
What breed of dog is that BTW? I darent show the kids.
I believe she’s known as a parsons terrier, plenty of Jack Russell in her, she’s a handsome little dog.
Will she stay small? Is she a pedigree? A pound dog?
Neighbors of ours put us into the owner of the litter, I think it’s a mix of Jack Russell and fox terrier, long legs but she’ll grow to about 14 inches only and about 16 lbs, we’re in the city so the little dog suits, one of my kids was terrified of dogs as well but she’s coming round brilliantly, small steps.
She says hello
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Hi there
Look at the doggie!
Totti wasn’t a midfielder in 2006. Gattuso and Pirlo were in midfield for Italy in 2006 with Totti playing as a second striker behind Luca Toni.
Messi fulfilled much the same role for Argentina. In 2014 Messi was second striker playing behind Higuain (who I believe is the top goalscorer in Serie A over the last four seasons). In 2010 Messi operated behind both Tevez and Higuain.
You’re essentially demanding that Messi continues to score at the same level he does for Barcelona when playing for Argentina, notwithstanding his very different role. At the same time, you absolve 250 Serie A goalscorer Totti of a goalscoring record of 0 from open play in 11 World Cup starts when he was playing in effectively the same role as Messi for the national team.
In the 2014 final, Higuain (notwithstanding his goalscoring prowess in Serie A), butchered the best scoring chance in normal time and had got himself offside when he scored in the second half. Messi is presumably to blame for the profligacy of Higuain?
Luckily for Diego Maradona, in the 1986 final when he played below par and was largely snuffed out of the game by Lothar Matthaus, he had a far better quality of attacking player as teammates in Jorge Valdano and Jorge Burruchaga, who unlike Higuain, each converted the goal scoring chances that came their way.
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the massacre is complete
Incorrect.
Totti was a midfielder. Italy varied between a lone striker, usually Toni or he sometimes played with a strike partner, usally Gilardino or Iaquinta.
Totti was brought as a traditional no.10 type player. Lippi said he had to bring Totti to the World Cup because there were no substitutes for Totti in the country. They brought 5 attackers to the World Cup - Toni, Gilardino, Del Piero, Iaquinta and Inzaghi. They brought one Totti.
I would suggest you know very little about football if you’re proclaiming Totti was playing as an attacker in Germany in 2006.
It’s just a blatant lie.
Messi and Totti are two completely different players, Messi is a player who like to pass and go, he actively seeks to get in behind and link up with his attackers. Totti at that stage in his career played much deeper, he was the link between defence and attack, he liked to drop deep on the ball and play defence cutting passes to full backs and others who were bombing on ahead of him. He did not look to run at players or cut through defences in the final third, he looked to unlock play from deeper.
Indeed it was Totti who collected the ball from Cannavaro just outside the Italian box and sprayed a 30 yard pass to Gilardino who squared it to Del Piero to seal the deal. What you will notice about Totti is that there were always nearly 4 to 5 players busting a gut to get beyond Totti when he got the ball, they knew he had the ability to unlock any defence with any pass. Perrotta made a career out of making runs in because of Totti.
Totti was not there to score goals with Italy, he was there to dictate the play to set players free, to unlock defences with incisive, inventive, spellbinding visions and passion.
Messi is there to score goals, he is there to buzz around the pitch, play little one twos and get in behind, it’s what he does with Barcelona. He doesn’t do it very well with Argentina because they don’t really play tiki taki football and Messi is a one trick pony - when he’s in the right environment he’s devastating but when he’s not he looks a little lost - and that’s not the hallmark of a great player.
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Oooffft
What’s Messi’s one trick? He’s the best passer, dribbler and finisher in the world.
Also you realise it is much harder to score goals than do what you described Totti doing there?
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He’s not the best passer in the game, he’s not the best finisher.
Messi is one trick in that he needs players to pass and move with him in the final third, he needs players buzzing in and around him looking to give and go at 100mph. When that doesn’t happen, he looks lost.
The beauty of international football is that you’ve got to make do with what you got. I think Messi is bad for Argentina because he’s not humble, he’s a diva. Everything has to be catered for him, Argentina have other match winners there and it should for the good of the team, not for one individual. It’s all about the collective.
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Who’s better?
Ronaldo is the best finisher.
Pirlo is the best passer.
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Not true. Ronaldo takes way more shots to score a similar amount of goals.
Pirlo is nearly 40 number 1 and number 2 Pirlo is/was brilliant at dictating a game with passing but Messi is much better at actually passing through a defence
Pirlo is a much better passer than Messi. Messi is good at running and players and committing for slide rule balls and the like which makes the passes much easier.
Messi has easier chances as he always looks to pass and move and get played in one on one with the keeper.
Ronaldo on the other hand is a born finisher.