Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, face to face in the World Cups

Lionel Messi has the opportunity to qualify for his second World Cup final with Argentina on Tuesday, after doing so in Brazil 2014, where the Albiceleste fell 1-0 against Germany. The South American country, where soccer is a religion, has not won the top FIFA title since Mexico 1986, when Diego Armando Maradona led his men to glory.

If Messi is crowned in Qatar 2022, he will be able to shake off the annoying comparison with the legendary former player of Boca Juniors, FC Barcelona and Napoli, who always follows him.

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says the newspaper ACE, from Madrid, about the two great number 10s: “There will always be an eternal debate about who was better or which of the two was bigger. Diego was an idol of the masses at a difficult time for Argentines, and also the last player of a generation who learned the noble art of football on muddy fields and black boots.

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And of the Flea comments: “Messi, however, has dominated football in the era of greatest splendor and perfection at the physical and technical level of top-level players. It is impressive to see how Leo’s superior talent prevails over and over again in a football where it is increasingly difficult to shine”.

In a face-to-face, framed in their World Cup participations, this is the result of the duel that Maradona, who died in 2022, and Messi hold separately and without having coincided as active players on a pitch.

• Messi is playing his fifth World Cup edition in Qatar 2022, after having played for Argentina in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018. Maradona participated in four tournaments: Spain 1982, Mexico 1986, Italy 1990 and the United States 1994; from this last contest he was expelled for doping after the second game.
• Regarding the games played, Messi has already surpassed Maradona in Qatar. The PSG star reached the championship with 18 World Cup matches compared to 21 for Pelusa. With five appearances in the 2022 World Cup, Messi is the albiceleste footballer with the most duels in the World Cup: 23.
• What is the balance of each one in the World Cup matches? Maradona won 12, drew 4 and lost 5 of his 21 games. Messi so far has 15 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses in 23 performances.
• As for annotations in the World Cups, Maradona ranks third, with 8 goals. In Qatar 2022, Messi matched Gabriel Batistuta with the penalty kick against the Netherlands (the one he took in regulation time), with 10 goals. Messi could surpass to batgol against Croatia, and potentially further distance themselves with one more game (if Argentina qualifies for the final or plays for third place).
• For now, Maradona is still above Messi in the line of goal passes, with 8 assists in the World Cup. Messi, after the formidable qualification for Nahuel Molina to open the account against the Netherlands, was placed with 7.
• Maradona played in a World Cup final twice, in Mexico 1986 and in Italy 1990. Messi only played in Brazil 2014.
• With the coronation in Mexico 1986, Maradona leads Messi, who seeks to lift the trophy in Qatar 2022. (D)