Lionel Messi is a World Cup winner. Argentina went on to end a 36-year wait this time around to lift the coveted trophy for the third time in their history, following arguably the greatest final of all-time. And many have hailed the PSG star as the greatest of all time following his recent success on the international stage, filling the only void left in his trophy cabinet. Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti, is not still sure about those claims though.
Despite of his storied past with Barcelona, even most Real Madrid fans would admit that Messi is one of the best of all-time. And following his World Cup triumph, he has pretty much ended the long running debate of who is better between him and Cristiano Ronaldo.
When it comes to being the greatest of all time, things get a bit more interesting though. Pele won the World Cup on three occasions. Diego Maradona also led Argentina to success in football’s biggest competition. And there are a few other players through history who belong in that conversation.
As reported by GOAL, Ancelotti recently said about Messi:
"“It’s hard to say. He’s a great footballer. His career is spectacular but if he’s the best in history, I don’t know because each era has had very important players. Saying that he’s been the best in history isn’t going to come out of my mouth.”"
Real Madrid boss explains why he will not declare Messi as the GOAT
At the end of the day, it is very difficult to definitively call someone the greatest footballer of all time, when you consider how much the game has changed over the years.
One could make the argument that Messi’s achievements at club level are much more impressive than Pele and Maradona, and that is a valid point, but once again one cannot overlook the changes in the game.
Today, Pele would have surely moved to Europe, perhaps even as a teenager. In the modern game, Maradona would have played for a club constantly challenging for the Champions League. Thus, instead of trying to find the GOAT, it might be better to find the best players of their respective eras.