Messi one-two-goals

One of the great qualities that Messi aquire is his ability to play team work, quick passes, and move around with "One-Two" passes. It is a very smart, unselfish way to get through defences using team-mates.

Not a lot of players, or big stars do that. You don't recall it a lot in players like Cristiano Ronaldo for example. But you find it in the best quality of players, some of the big names, Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Beckenbauer, Romario, Roberto Baggio, Zico and, of course, one of best them with skill: Lionel Messi.

Recently he scored a passionate goal vs. Real Sociedad with great set of "One-Two" passes



Here is a wonderful clip some of his best "one-two" goals



I was watching some old clips, and I saw this one for Maradona. It directly reminded me of this goal for Messi vs. Panathinaikos.



The way he received the ball, the quick swift one-two passes, his flexible body, the balance ..... one more way of similarities of the two players.
Here is the original version of the goal, by Maradona :)

Best of Maradona with Barcelona

I found this beautiful 3 minutes video summarizing Maradona life in Barcelona in the early 1980s. The best part is at the end when Maradona went to apologize to King Juan Carlos after his Karate fight at the end of Spanish Cup when King was watchign : )
 WATCH THE VIDEO IN THIS LINK

Almost, one of best goals in history

Here are five great missed chances in this clips, any of them would have been one of best goals in history.

The chances are:
1. Brazil vs. Scotland 1974 WC, game ended 0-0 with so many chances.
2. Marco Van Basten vs. Germany Euro 1992, game ended 3-1 for Netherlands
3. Maradona vs. England in a 1980 friendly in Wembly, England won 3-1. Maradona always jokes about this chane, he says after six years in Mexico, when he did exactly the same, he decided that he will round the keeper too.
4. Pele vs. Uruguay 1970 WC, but this is not the very famous play of rounding the keeper. It is something I like more. Brazil won 3-1.
5. Marcelo Balboa USA vs. Colombia 1994 WC, USA won 2-1.

Maradona at 21 years old

while posting youtube videos in my last post, I bounced into some old videos for the crazy guy. Some I never seen before, so I am posting these two goals, that he scored in an interesting way in the same day with Boca





And some bonus material:
Who said Maradona is short?
Clever goal
and this is very very nice to watch, many of these scenses I see them for the first time
Maradona in Argentinos Juniors

Argentinian football giant leap in the 1970s

I know the fact but I don't know the answer really. What has happened in Argentina in the 1970s? I think that was the most critical time for football in that country. Till 1978, Argentina was not very well advanced in the game.

Yes, they won few Copa Americas, but the last one was 1959. Yes, they reached 1930 WC final. But, they had very bad appearance in 1966. In 1970, they didn't even qualify. In 1974, Argentina played six games, and managed only to beat Haiti. They tied with lousy Italy and fair East Germany. They lost to Brazil, Poland and a humilating 0-4 defeat vs. Netherlands.

You cannot recall any good goal for Argentina prior to 1978 WC. After that, you can pick and choose.
They had better presence with their clubs. However, in mid 1970s, stars started to appear. Beautiful goals started to be scored, and Argentina never looked back.

I never read a convincing article on what made this great leap for Argentina. It was not only the World Cup. Signs were clear from local competitions. I will post few goals from those years:

This is Leopoldo Luque very nice skillful goal in 1979
He is the player who scored the famous winner for Argentina vs. France in 1978 World Cup.



This player was not in the national team, but the goal shows the quality of football that Argentina got in late 70s.



And of course, there was nothing more important than, the arrival of Maradona

Maradona: "asta la vista"

Crazy news lying in the horizon that Maradona might be back to coach Argentina again.

And who's saying that? Carlos Bilardo.
"If Diego comes and talks, I don't know what can happen. It's all a question of talking," Bilardo told the news channel Todo Noticias. "I would not close any door. We are awaiting the outcome. Anything can happen."

If this happened, then I believe that AFA is one of the worst Football Associations in the whole world.
I think Maradona won't come back, and all of these comments are just to let him exit in a nice way. He is a people figure and no one wants to be seen as a rival to Maradona.

Maradona - the super legend at his best

Since Maradona in the spotlights again, and I am covering his negative aspects, here is something to cheers his fans. I still believe he is the best player ever to touch the football, but one of worst coaches.

 This is from 1984/1985 season vs. Lazio with a performance from the legend, beyond a dream.

Maradona hallucinating again

Diego Maradona has accused the Argentine Football Association (AFA) of "lies and betrayal" after his contract as national coach was not renewed. Maradona claimed national team manager Carlos Bilardo "worked in the shadows" to oust him after Argentina's quarter-final exit at the 2010 World Cup. He also accused AFA president Julio Grondona of lying about his future.

"Grondona lied to me. Bilardo betrayed me," "When we were in mourning [after the 4-0 defeat by Germany at the World Cup], Bilardo was working in the shadows to get me fired."

I could not find a better picture to describe Maradona in this situation. After been widely known for best ever footballer in history, he is putting himself on a very low class situation.

The whole setup for the Argentinian team management was a bit of weird since Maradona came back to the spotlights.

When I first heard about it, I thought it was kinda a joke. Then, I heard that Bilardo is manager and Maradona is the coach. I started saying that this is a very smart setup. Bilardo for technicalities, and Maradona is for the inspirational factor. Kinda like Prime Minister and the Queen for Britain.

For the history, Maradona struggled so much under Menotti time in Argentina (sort of Messi today). Bilardo came, and brought sunshine to Maradona. He made a big bet. Fired all stars, including the WC winner captain Passarella, and assigned Maradona as the captain. In 1986, he rented a home in Napoli and made a setup for Maradona to have extra exercises, things that are not related directly to football. Focus, concentration, movements .... anything you can imagine without a ball.

This why Maradona in 1986 was very exceptional. So, I was sure Bilardo back again, this is a great bless for Argentina.

But, soon Bilardo resigned.

Now, Bilardo and Maradona are rivals.

 

If this is true, that Bilardo worked in the shadow to fire Maradona (the coach), then a big salute to him, to save Argentinian football and save the beautiful football in general for the world.

VIVA Argentina, Maradona is not the coach

Finally, the funny and wierdest era of Argentinian football is over. Maradona is not the coach anymore.

A statement on the AFA website read: "Mr Julio Grondona made the members of the executive committee aware of the conversation with Mr Diego Maradona, setting out the points which had come out from the meeting. The executive committee unanimously resolved not to renew the contract with Mr Diego Maradona as coach of the Argentina national football team." AFA spokesman Ernesto Cherquis Bialo added: "Maradona's requirements were very far from the FA's possibilities."

When I heard the news that AFA might renew Maradona contract, I thought this is more than insane. Maradona coached only twice in 1994 and 1995 and acted very funny, and was fired immediately. Then he coached Argentina since 2008. He lost to Bolivia 6-1 and Germany 4-0. This is the first time in my life that I see Argentina lost to Brazil at home (1-3).

He had one of the biggest inventory of skillful players in the world today, and they were playing alone, without any team bonding. No tactics, no defence. He was kissing and hugging everyone including his daughter and threatening journalists.

Today's news is great for everyone loves Argentina football or Messi. As I am one of the many that thought Messi had very bad luck to have Maradona as a coach (same bad luck Maradona had by having Menotti as a coach in 1978 to 1982)

The Clown: Maradona the coach

I dont think I have to give any explanation for my title.

I am sad for him, as they are destroying him. When I heared the news that Maradona was appointed as a coach, I thought this must be a joke or kind of April Fool.

Game after game he proved that he had nothing to offer as a coach.

I think it is the Argentinian football federation big mistake in the first place,

then, it is his mistake to take such a challenge, he knows he cannot meet.

Maradona and Messi

as we are reaching to the most decisive game so far in this tournament, here is something funny to enjoy :)

Professional opinion or Jealousy?

Recent Pele comment on Maradona: "Maradona accepted the job as he needed work and needed the money. I saw how Argentina qualified with difficulty. But it is not Maradona's fault; it is the fault of those who put him in charge."

Maradona replied back "Pele should go back to the museum and stay there"

I think this comment is more of a jealousy rather than a professional opinion.
DUH! I don't think any coach will coach a team for free. Maradona is a bad coach, I agree, but it is the Argentinian federation to blame. Pele himself is making all of his public appearance to build his image to charge million of dollars for advertising. It is well known that he does not appear publicly for the love of the game.

He turned his football history into a big business, which is not a shame, but don't blame Maradona if he is looking for money.

A worse comment came from Cameroon legend, Roger Milla on Samuel Eto:

Eto mentioned just before the World Cup and as Cameroon in the final preparation stage, that Eto had “brought lots to Barcelona and Inter Milan but never anything to the Cameroon team. It’s also a question of discipline. Cameroon is waiting for him to react,”

This comment can come from a careless teenager not from a great player with big history Roger Milla.

Roger Milla either jealous from Eto success (which in my opinion he is better than Milla) or he has no idea what he is talking about.

Roger Milla played 102 games scored 28 goals for Cameroon.

Eto played 98 games scored 44 goals for Cameroon.

We all know that African players who play in Europe don't show their best in African Cups, which is played in the midst of European season. Eto is one of the exceptions, he is the all times top scorer for Cameroon scoring 18 goals for Cameroon in all African cups. He won it with Cameroon twice.

In the last World Cup qualifications, he scored 8 goals, to be the top scorer for Cameroon group and lead Cameroon to qualify to the World Cup.

Sorry Milla, but I think your comments are of pure jealousy, and has nothing to do with reality.

WC Photo Break - Maradona

1982 

1986 

1990

1994

Maradona vs. Messi goal

I found this interesting comment by Maradona when Messi scored his famous goal:

"Those who made that comparison were exaggerating, they really over exaggerated. To start with, my goal was more beautiful than Messi's. And what's more, I scored it against eleven internationals from England, a world champion team, and in a World Cup. Leo scored his against Getafe, in the Copa del Rye in Spain. It's not the same. It has nothing to do with mine. No, no, leave it, they are nothing alike. I scored millions of those kinds of goals in training, they're just not on tape. If we're going to talk seiously about this, don't make me say something I don't mean. "



Crazy fans did this interesting comparison, of the two goals:
Distance: Maradona ran 62 meters, while Messi run 60 meters
Time: Maradona 10.8 seconds, Messi 12.0 seconds
Speed: Maradona ran with 5.7 m/seconds, Messi 5.0 m/seconds
Touches: Maradona did 12 touches of the ball, Messi did 13 touches
Dribbling: Maradona and Messi passed same number of opponents (6 or 5) depending how you count them
Both celebrated at same flag corner of the field. Even TV broadcasting angle happened to be the same.

Irregardless of figures, I think both goals were great, but I favor Maradona goal much more, and I think it was more difficult one. Yet, I see Maradona comments were over-creative, and we gotta remember that  Maradona was 26 years old, and Messi wasn't even 20 (19 years, 10 months) when each scored their famous goal.

Maradona driving over a camera man

Maradona ran over a camera man foot while he was driving his Mini Cooper and surrounded by journsalists. Seems Maradona is not a fan of jouranlists at al. We remember that he shot one of them in his arm several years ago.

Few months ago, I saw a very good documentary about Maradona, and the director showed many of the controversial photos, and he had a wonderful description of Maradona. He said "if Maradona was not a football star, he definately would be one of the revolutionalary guards in a country like Argentina or Mexico"

Just for the fun of it, I insert this very famous video, showing Maradona with same reckless crazy attitude, but in a very different situation. Most likely you are like me, seen it many times, but still enjoy it again and again.

Maradona best goal with Napoli in a new video

This could be the best goal every for famous goal among 115 goals scored with Napoli in 7 seasons. You might seen the goal, but I never seen it in a good video. Always the video is toooo short, or only a replay.

This is the first time, I see the goal in a good edited video,
enjoy it :)

Messi or Maradona? (Part2 of 2)

It is said that great players are too types:
- one who makes you feel that football is a very tough game.
- other who makes you feel that football is very simple one.
Maradona belongs to the first group, Messi to the second.

One thing kept striking me in the last 3 months everytime I see him playing, and with every goal he scored, that he plays really really simple football. Most of his recent goals came out of simple touches that requires  little to normal physical efforts, but huge foot sensitivity and brain skills.

At this age, he is reaching quick maturity, he is ahead of his age I think. The way he distribute his effort during the game, making spaces, and scoring with the least sweat in his shirt, is awesome.

Everytime I see him, I wonder, how can they don't mark him? You often see him alone. I never seen any star left alone like him. Is it the era he is in, or it is because of his positioning skills?

With some thoughts, Messi can be much better than Maradona (only at age 22):

- He did far much better than Maradona at 22. He got La Liga title, Champion League title and Club WC title, and Messi was a main part of getting all of these titles scoring decisive goals in them. At that age, Maradona only had the Youth 1979 WC, which Messi already won too.


- Messi goals far more than Maradona. Without counting, Messi just scored 2 hatricks and 1 superhatricks within last few weeks. Opps, we almost forgot a hatrick vs. Real Madrid in 2007. All of these goals without a single exception were with a wonderful style, cleverness and elegance. If I am not mistaken Maradona had one hatrick in his career, and that was with Napoli when he became mature enough.

- All of that in a game that is more dynamic, tougher, faster pace and less spaces compared to that one 2 or 3 decades ago. What would Messi do if he came at Maradona era?


- At 22, Messi is far more mature than his master at that age. The positioning inside the game, his balance, tricking opponents balance, spending efforts in a way to benefit the team not to get fans cheers.

but, wait, look at these pictures

That picture to the left won the football photo of the century in FourFourTwo English magazine. It was in the 1982 WC opening vs. Belgium. Six players chasing Maradona. Another one vs. Peru, also six players around him.

Here are the reasons, why Maradona for sure is a much better player:

- Maradona faced every type of legal and illegal violence. Yes, the game back then was slower, but for Maradona, he never had a chance to breath without every type of kicking, pulling and chasing. Stars were not protected. German keeper Schumacher broke Battiston ribs, teeth and sent him in a coma, and still was allowed to play the final. Two years later Maradona broke his ankle in Spain.

- Players today have more experience than in the past, this why they mature faster. If Maradona had the Champion League experiences, he would have produced much more fun at earlier age.

- Maradona used to play in about 70 to 80 meters of the field, inspiring the rest of the team with so many passes and moves, not only scoring goals. Messi only plays as a striker in about 35 to 40 meters of the field. In other words, Maradona influence the game much more than Messi.

- Messi got bunch of great stars next to him. Maradona never had this luxury. He barely had Careca in Napoli, and in Argentina, well ... he got only the coach next to him. Yes, there were Valdano and Burruchaga, but honestly, you can replace them with any good players and don't notice the difference.

When Messi plays in Argentinian team, he could not repeat those Barca magical moments.

Actually, this WC will be a repetitive of Maradona 1982 WC conditions. Lousy coach who carries passion and promises without plans. Bunch of stars, but without structure, and a fame that makes him a target for every defender.

So, who is better at age of 22?

When my friends tell me Maradona, I say I don't disagree.

When others say Messi, I say, I don't disagree.

My honest opinion:

- Messi has more influence to the game than Maradona only at the age of 22. So, I favour Messi at this age, especially in terms of maturity.

- Yet, we don't have to forget that no comparison is a fair one. Messi had better conditions and better team around him than that of Maradona one. No one can imagine what Maradona would do if he was 22 and playing with Gardiola squad next to Xavi and Ineista. May be he would surpass Messi by far.

Just as a reminder, this is Maradona vs. England, he was only 20

Irregardless of any unfair comparison. Messi got many years to give his best, and it does not really matter Maradona or Messi. He is there to be the next king of football.

A decade of football in cartoons : )

2001

2002

2005

Translation:

Those who play table football 0

Those who play real football 3

(don't forget to click on read more to continue with the rest of the decade)

2006

2007

2008

2009

and something about 3 decades of the most covered topic

 

translation: Maradona Love, a film about unconditional love

Maradona: amazing skills

since i started my first blog with rare video that maradona fans might not love a lot, i didicate my second post for rare videos for Maradona and his skills, and not in real games

And here are more stuff to enjoy:
amazing maradona training of free kick ; another passing accuracy ; Maradona, messi and tevez playing soccer padminton ; The New Life is Life ; and the original life is life ; and one more video ok, I added one more

Maradona used his hand 4 times

Was it intentional? or it was just a footballer basic instinct, to try to reach to the ball? Watch this movie and you will find an interesting answer: the goal against England in 1986 was the third time Maradona used his hand, and it was not the last:




- The first time was against River Plate in 1981. He scored one of his famous goals in that same derby.

- The second time, was with Napoli in 1985, the goal was disallowed..

- The third one was the 1986 quarter final, I didn't insert it as everyone knows it.


- The fourth incident was against USSR in 1990 WC first round. It was the second game and Argentina lost to Cameroon. Later they tied with Romania. It was the only victory in the first round. It was 0-0 when Maradona saved a goal by his hand. If the referee gave that PK, history might have been changed. Would Maradona be sent off? That incident was the first second for Sergio Goycochea, the heroic Argentina keeper in the WC. He came after Nery Pumpido injury.

What is interesting, that Maradona always used his left foot to score, but when it comes to hand, he used the right one (though the goal against River Plate was not too clear on which hand).