It’s fanciful to think that football alone will settle any fervent fan-held debate about who’s greater, Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona.
When history chooses between two unbelievable players, the nostalgia and emotion evoked by their legacies becomes just as important as the way they played.
This is especially true when Messi and Maradona are discussed by their fellow countrymen.
Argentinian football is historically grounded in the cult of the vociferous and talented individual. Since the early 20th century, the nation’s fans have expected individual brilliance to save them, a cultural eccentricity that has transcended football and paved the way for public figures like Evita Peron and her extraordinary legacy.
Maradona is often credited with winning the 1986 World Cup single-handed, and then forcing Argentina into Italia 90. Whether or not that’s fair on the rest of the squad, Argentinians take greater pleasure in attributing such feats to an individual of such magnetism, and that becomes history.
“He saved Argentina, he was the only one who could’ve won it,” says José Maria Goldberg, a former sports commentator from Buenos Aires.
For all his unbelievable talent, Messi’s straight-laced profile doesn’t lend itself to Argentine adoration as much as Maradona’s captivating passion, outlandish charisma and grit.
Of course, Messi is adored in his home country for being by far the best player of his generation and for dragging the national side beyond the pessimistic expectations of its citizens – most recently by scoring the hat-trick that sent them to Russia.
This Argentinian team, featuring the likes of Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria, is regularly referred to as Messi and ten others. Imagine that, Aguero, just an ‘other’.
But although Messi has produced unwavering state-of-the-art football at the highest level for the past decade, it’s happened over 6000 miles away from home for a Spanish club.
The frenzy generated by winning an international trophy for your country trumps all, and that’s what Argentinians will remember most. As things stands, the narrative of Maradona’s career and the emotion he elicits might make him the greatest.
But what if Argentina win in Russia?
This Argentinian team, featuring the likes of Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria, is regularly referred to as Messi and ten others. Imagine that, Aguero, just an ‘other’.
But although Messi has produced unwavering state-of-the-art football at the highest level for the past decade, it’s happened over 6000 miles away from home for a Spanish club.
The frenzy generated by winning an international trophy for your country trumps all, and that’s what Argentinians will remember most. As things stands, the narrative of Maradona’s career and the emotion he elicits might make him the greatest.
But what if Argentina win in Russia?