Ernesto Valverde Says 'There's Always Fuss' at Barcelona over Form
Nov 26, 2019
Ernesto Valverde has bemoaned the fact that Barcelona are expected to give a "footballing lesson" every time they play.
The Blaugrana are top of La Liga after 13 matches of 2019-20 and can qualify out of Group F in the UEFA Champions League with a game to spare when they play Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday at the Camp Nou:
For Barca manager Valverde, the high expectations placed on the club means there will always be critics no matter how the side are playing, perĀ Javier Giraldo ofĀ Sport:
"Here, at Barca, there's always fuss. We're at the club we're at, it will always be like this, if not for one reason then for another. Now we come off the back of winning a game in which we suffered a lot, they pushed us but we won. What happens is that here they demand a footballing lesson in each game and sometimes we can't give it.
"We come from playing at Leganes, we come from winning. There's always criticism when we play at Leganes because it's not easy to play there. That's what it's about, not only putting ourself on the precipice when things don't go well. We're first in La Liga and in the Champions League and we want to stay first."
If Barca lose to Dortmund on Wednesday, they could go to Inter Milan for their final group-stage match needing a result in order to qualify for the knockout rounds.
There is also a possibility the defending champions could find themselves fourth in La Liga by Sunday evening if they lose to Atletico Madrid at theĀ Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
Atleti have endured some frustrating results recently, drawing seven of their last 10 matches in the Spanish top flight.
They have a decent recent record against Barca, though, drawing twice and winning once in their last five home meetings with the Catalan giants.Ā
Fortunately for Valverde, he still has Lionel Messi in his squad.
The Argentinian missed the opening of 2019-20 due to a foot injury, but since he returned he has registered eight goals and five assists in eight league appearances.
Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann Talks 'Lack of Confidence' in Decision-Making
Nov 25, 2019
Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann has revealed he is lacking confidence in his decision-making as he works to get up to speed with his new team-mates.
The Frenchman moved to Barca from Atletico Madrid in the summer.
"I'm in the process of learning and understanding how my team-mates play as everything is new to me.
"I'm still trying to read the runs and off-the-ball movement from the likes ofĀ Luis Suarez, [Lionel] MessiĀ and Ousmane DembeleĀ along with the midfielders.
"It's my intention to get to grips with this as soon as possible so I can offer my all to the team, but at times, it's tricky.
"At present, when I get the ball, I have a certain lack of confidence in when to pass or when to shoot on goal. This I'm sure is something that will change with the passing of time."
Griezmann added that he is shy, but he has had meals with Messi and Suarez, and he believes their "relationship can only improve over time."
He has just four goals and three assists to his name in 16 appearances for Barcelona. Two of the goals and one of the assists came in a 5-2 win over Real Betis in August, in which neither Messi nor Suarez played because of injury.
On Saturday, he was substituted by manager Ernesto Valverde in Barca's 2-1 win over Leganes before the hour-mark, when the score was still level.
Squawka's Muhammad Butt felt it would do his confidence little good:
tbf I get Rakitic for Busquets given next week's suspension... but Vidal for Griezmann?? just how much more confidence do you want to drain from the Frenchman?????
Griezmann has shown himself to be a decisive player throughout his career. He bagged 133 goals and 50 assists in 257 games for Atletico Madrid, while in 78 outings for France, he has netted 30 times and assisted 23.
He has been particularly creative for Les Bleus this year:
8 - Most assists in a civil year for a player with France š«š·:
It is still relatively early in the 28-year-old's career at the Camp Nou, and it may not be easy to break into a forward line in which Messi and Suarez already have exceptional chemistry with one another.
Valverde's management may not have done him many favours, either.
Barcelona will want much more of a return on theirĀ ā¬120 million investment, though, and the team need him to share the goalscoring and creative burden with Messi and Suarez.
Griezmann finds himself in a similar situation to Eden Hazard, who has scored just once for Real Madrid since his arrival from Chelsea in the summer.
Barca and Real are level on 28 points in La Liga after 13 matches. Which team manages to pull ahead in the title race could be down to which one of Griezmann or Hazard hits top form first.Ā Ā
Lionel Messi Says Ballon d'Or Is 'Beautiful Recognition,' Credits Barcelona Team
Nov 23, 2019
BARCELONA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 09: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona in action during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and RC Celta de Vigo at Camp Nou on November 09, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi has credited his team-mates with his Ballon d'Or success over the years as he targets his sixth award.
The Argentinian will be among the front-runners for the gong when it is handed out on December 2 in Paris.Ā
Messi told YouTube channel Otro (h/t Goal's Dejan Kalinic) of the Ballon d'Or:Ā "It is a beautiful recognition, and perhaps the most special was the first.Ā It is something that comes from the collective. Without having achieved all the collective successes that we had to achieve, I wouldn't have been able to get these individual awards."
Messi's five Ballon d'Or wins is a record shared by Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo, but the 32-year-old has not won it since 2015.
He initially won the award four years running between 2009 and 2012, and he's one of four Barca players in contention for the men's award, while Lieke Martens is nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or:
The Argentinian has once again operated at a high level in 2019, in which he has scored 39 goals and provided 14 assists for Barcelona.
His efforts helped them win La Liga last season, as well as reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and the final of the Copa del Rey.
This season, Barca are top of the table on goal difference after 12 matches and first in their Champions League group ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Slavia Prague after four games.
On this day in 2014, Lionel Messi became La Liga's all-time top scorer
On the international stage, he has scored five goals and assisted two for Argentina, with whom he finished third at the Copa America in the summer.
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijkāwho won the Champions League with the Reds and helped them finish on 97 points in the Premier League last seasonāwill be among his biggest rivals.
The Dutchman beat Messi to the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award in August, but Messi beat him to FIFA's The Best Men's Player Award in September.
Cristiano Ronaldo is another perennial contender. He won Serie A with Juventus last season and the UEFA Nations League with Portugal, with whom he has netted 14 goals in 2019.
The 34-year-old hasn't enjoyed the best of campaigns this season, though, despite contributing six goals and two assists for the Bianconeri.
Barcelona's Luis Suarez Talks Potential MLS Move, Liverpool Premier League Hopes
Nov 22, 2019
Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring the opening goal during Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Sevilla at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Luis Suarez has said he could decide to move to Major League Soccer once his time with Barcelona concludes.Ā
The iconic Uruguayan praised the growth of the United States league but explained he's currently happy in La Liga.
"MLS is a competition which has grown a lot in the last few years and you can see that with the young players that have moved there in the last two years, above all the South Americans.
"That shows that the league wants to grow and not just bring in players of a certain age that are going to retire there. They look for that mix to make the league better."
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 12: Midfielder and team captain Nicolas Lodeiro (C) of the Seattle Sounders holds up the 2016 and 2019 MLS Cup trophies during the Seattle Sounders MLS Cup victory parade and rally on November 12, 2019 in Seattle, Washington
Saurez said he spoke to Uruguay team-mateĀ Nicolas Lodeiro about his experiences with MLS Cup winners Seattle Sounders.Ā The 32-year-old stated he is content in Catalonia but admitted a future move to the U.S. appeals to him:
"I didn't commit to anything [with Lodeiro]. I had a conversation with him. MLS is a league that any player would be interested in and I asked him about the competition and about his team-mates.
"I have a contract with Barca and I am very happy here. In the future you never know, it's an attractive league.
"Given that I have been lucky to have had success at the top level for a long time, what I would look out for [next] is stability for my family and the well-being of my children. They would all make the decision along with me and the United States is a nice possibility."
Barcelona's Argentinian Forward Lionel Messi (R) celebrates scoring the opening goal with Barcelona's French forward Antoine Griezmann (L), Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (2L) and Barcelona's Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal during the Spanish L
Suarez continues to be one of European football's elite forwards, and his partnership with Lionel Messi remains the bedrock of Barca's starting XI.
The former Liverpool hitman scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 33 La Liga appearances last season. His team were crowned Spanish champions once again.
Suarez is now the fourth top-scorer in the Blaugrana's history, and he will want to increase his tally at the Camp Nou before departing.
The four-time La Liga winner also discussed Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier League, with his former club in the box seat at the top of the division:
"[Winning the Premier League] is difficult because the season is very long. But they have a nice advantage at the moment and with this current Liverpool side, it's complicated [to imagine] them letting that slip. But we all know how football is. They had a similar advantage at one stage last season and, in the end, Manchester City won the league.
"We were close to winning the league at Liverpool with young players. We almost managed it without the budget they have today. Given everything Liverpool are now, to have won it then would have had more merit."
Suarez isn't ready to leave the pinnacle of Spanish football just yet, and the veteran already has eight goals in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League this term.
The MLS has developed as a product, and Suarez possesses the goalscoring talent which could make him a huge success stateside.
Luis Suarez Says Gerard Pique's Neymar Talk Should Be Taken with 'Pinch of Salt'
Nov 22, 2019
Barcelona's Spanish defender Gerard Pique smiles with Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) before the 54th Joan Gamper Trophy friendly football match between Barcelona and Arsenal at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on August 4, 2019. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez said team-mate Gerard Pique's comments should be taken with a pinch of salt after he said the players were prepared to help the club finance Neymar's return.
After a summer of speculation that the Brazil internationalĀ would rejoin Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain, for whom he left the Camp Nou in 2017, Pique said in October he and his team-mates offered to help to make it happen, per Tom Allnutt of AFP:
Interesting Pique interview with @ellarguero. Says #Barca players offered to tweak their contracts to help the club sign Neymar last summer. Idea was to push their payments back to make room for Financial Fair Play.
"Sometimes you have to take what Geri says with a pinch of salt. He has the gift of the gab and a lot of experience in making comments.
"In this case, he knows and is completely aware that the players were completely removed from the Ney case.
"We were ready to welcome himāhim or any other player that wants to comeābut always distanced from what was going on."
Suarez and Lionel Messi were close friends with Neymar during the Brazilian's time at the club, and the trio formed a potent front three at the Camp Nou.Ā During the three seasons they played together up front, Barcelona won two La Liga titles, three Copas del Rey and the UEFA Champions League. In La Liga, the team scored 110, 112 and 116 goals in those campaigns.
Football reporter Lee Roden gave his take on Pique's comments about the club's desire to bring backĀ Neymar:
Pique may not be the most reliable source of information on the Brazilian, though.Ā At the height of speculation prior to his departure, the centre-back infamously tweeted a photo with him along with an assertion that he would stay at the Camp Nou:
Neymar made his world-record move to the Parc des Princes less than two weeks later.
The forward racked up 105 goals and 76 assists in 186 appearances for the Blaugrana and was a key contributor to the club's success during his time in Catalonia.Ā Given he was also a popular figure in the dressing room, it's hardly surprising if his former team-mates were hoping he would return in the summer amid the speculation over his future.
Rumours of a move back to Barca will likely resurface when the transfer window reopens in January.
For now, Barcelona seem to have dodged an expensive bullet in failing to secure his return in the summer because injuries have restricted him to just five appearances for PSG this season.
Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann Says 'I Don't Know How to Dribble'
Nov 22, 2019
Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann has said he does not know how to dribble.
Speaking at a Puma event, the Frenchman explained that he prefers to take a few touches rather than run with the ball at his feet (h/tĀ Sport):Ā "I don't know how to dribble. I like to take one or two touches at pace.Ā I like that the ball comes out cleanly and to shoot at goal."
Griezmann, 28, joined Barca from Atletico Madrid in July after the Catalans paid hisĀ ā¬120 million (Ā£107 million) buyout clause.Ā He has netted four goals and provided three assists in 11 La Liga games in 2019-20.
A little like Barca as a whole this term,Ā while Griezmann's return looks decent on paper, he has yet to find his best form:
Ernesto Valverde's side are top of La Liga and lead their group in the UEFA Champions League.Ā But they have not been overly impressive for much of the season, with defender Gerard Pique recently saying Barca will have to improve if they want to win the Champions League.
One of the key areas that could be improved upon is the relationship between the front three.Ā Griezmann looks a little lost playing alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez:
BTW it's like there has been no out and out plan put in place to integrate Griezmann. The player that the club shelled out so much money on and desired for so long. He's been thrown in this team and told to sink/swim. Completely disconnected.
He is frequently having to play on the left flank, which is far from his best position.Ā When he was the star forward at Atleti, he most regularly played as a No. 9 or on the right.
It is congested at the top of La Liga, so Barca need to keep on winning if they are to maintain their position at the top of the pile.Ā They are back in action on Saturday, when they visit Leganes.Ā
Gerard Pique Says He Will Retire at Barcelona: 'My Intention Is to Get to 2022'
Nov 21, 2019
BARCELONA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 09: Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona during the prematch warm up prior to the Liga match between FC Barcelona and RC Celta de Vigo at Camp Nou on November 09, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Gerard Pique has said he will not wear any other shirt than Barcelona's and hopes to continue playing until 2022.Ā
The centre-back is a graduate of Barca's famed La Masia academy and has been a Barca stalwart since he returned to the club from Manchester United in 2008.
Now 32, Pique is in the latter stages of his illustrious career.
The Spaniard has said his aim is to keep going until the end of his contract in 2022, and he made it clear once he stops playing for Barca, he will stop playing football, perĀ Mundo DeportivoĀ (h/t Goal's Matt Dorman):
"IĀ have always said my last team will be Barca.Ā I have absolutely no intention of wearing any other shirt because ... I have been a 'Cule' all my life. For me, being at Barca is the biggest dream of all.
"My intention is to get to 2022, but I don't have a crystal ball, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it. If I see that I lose importance or see that I am not at the [required] level, I have no problem leaving earlier.Ā I don't think it will happen because I know myself and I am able to endure until 2022, but you never know."
Pique remains a key part of Ernesto Valverde's first team at the Camp Nou.Ā In 2019-20, he has started 11 of Barca's 12 La Liga games, playing 990 minutes.
Only goalkeeperĀ Marc-Andre ter Stegen has played more for Barca than Pique this term in the Spanish top flight.
When he does decide to hang up his boots then, it will be a big loss for the Blaugrana, although the Catalans have some fine defensive prospects on their books:
Barca have lost a number of homegrown legends in recent seasons.Ā Xavi left to join Qatari sideĀ Al SaddĀ in 2015, and Andres Iniesta moved to Japanese outfitĀ Vissel Kobe last year.
It is clear that Pique does not plan to play out his career away from Barcelona like the Spanish midfield duo.
Instead, he looks set to follow in the footsteps of Carles Puyol, who retired in 2014 after playing his entire senior career at Barca.Ā
Patrick Kluivert Says Ansu Fati May Need to Drop Down to Barcelona B Team
Nov 20, 2019
BARCELONA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 09: Ansu Fati of FC Barcelona in action during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and RC Celta de Vigo at Camp Nou on November 09, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Ansu Fati may have to drop down to the Barcelona B side in order to get regular game time, according to Blaugrana academy directorĀ Patrick Kluivert.Ā Ā
Fati, 17, made a stunning impact early in the 2019-20 season when he was promoted to the first team amid injuries to Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez.
He set numerous records as he scored in back-to-back La Liga games against Osasuna and Valencia, and he also made his UEFA Champions League debut against Borussia Dortmund:
Ansu Fati:
ā¾ Youngest player to play for Barca since 1941 ā¾ Trained with the senior team for the first time three days before debut ā¾ Needed permission from his parents to play in late-night La Liga match ā¾ Rejected Real Madrid in 2012
However, as Barca's senior players have returned to fitness, Fati's opportunities have become more limited.
The Spain youth international has played eight La Liga games this term but only started three of them.Ā
Kluivert has now said dropping down to the B side could benefit the young winger, perĀ Sport:Ā
"It's being overseen more by [sporting director Eric] Abidal and [his assistant Ramon] Planes. We're communicating well with each other. If all the first-team players are at 100 per cent, I have the feeling that he will have to play for BarƧa B to get some minutes in his legs. We saw that with Carles Perez at the weekend, too."
Barca are back in La Liga action on Saturday against Leganes before a crunch fixture versus Atletico Madrid at theĀ Wanda MetropolitanoĀ Stadium on December 1.
Before the international break, Messi netted a hat-trick as Barca beat Celta Vigo 4-1 to return to winning ways following a shock loss at Levante.
That victory meant the defending champions maintained their position at the top of La Liga:
Given how congested things are at the head of the Spanish top flight, Barca must keep winning to maintain their position.
Ernesto Valverde's side lost 2-1 on their visit to Leganes last season, but they have won the other five fixtures they have played against the Madrid outfit since the start of 2016-17.Ā Ā
Barcelona Star Ansu Fati Was 'One Document Away' from Move to Premier League
Nov 19, 2019
Barcelona's Ansu Fati, right, celebrates with teammate Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Sep. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
He has become the most exciting young prospect in European football, yet Ansu Fati was being primed for a move to English football just weeks before he got his big break with Barcelona.Ā
In August, agedĀ 16 years and 298 days,Ā Fati became the second-youngest player to debut for the La Liga club, coming on late in a 5-2 win over Real Betis. One week later, he followed it up with his first professional goal in a 2-2 draw at Osasuna. Two weeks after that, he scored his first Camp Nou goal.Ā
He's a teen sensation, but Bleacher Report has learned how it could have all been so different.Ā
Sources explained how, at the beginning of last summer, the 17-year-old was unsure how a career path would ever open up for him in Spain. No new contract had been signed, Barca manager Ernesto Valverde was not promoting La Masia talent to the first team, and a host of options were opening up.
Clubs in La Liga, including his former side, Sevilla, were aware of his situation and that he could become available. So, too, were West Ham Unitedāand they almost pulled off a transfer coup.
An insider who had involvement in discussions over the deal explained to B/R how the Hammers came so close to signing Fati that his family had "agreed terms."
It was only issues over his Spanish passport that eventually meant he remained at the Camp Nou.Ā
Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi *R( celebrates with Barcelona's Guinea-Bissau forward Ansu Fati an eventually cancelled goal during the Spanish League football match between Levante UD and FC Barcelona at the Ciutat de Valencia stadium in Valen
Fati, born in Guinea-Bissau, moved to Spain when he was six and followed his older brother, Braima, to join Sevilla. In 2012, aged 10, he began to make his mark. He won the league at every age group he played with Barcelona.
Playing from the left flank or through the middle, he consistently scored goals, but it began to emerge in 2018 that the player was not convinced he would ever get chances to make an impact with the Catalan club.
He loved Barcelona, but his path to the top was full of obstaclesānot just the club's superstars but also those in Barcelona B, the club's reserve team, who were not getting looked at. That's when West Ham were alerted that they could sign one of the most naturally talented kids in European football.Ā
The London club are very focused on picking up young talent from elite clubsāand we have seen recently how they beat Juventus to the signature of Manchester United's Academy productĀ Ademipo 'Mipo' Odubeko, a 17-year-old forward tipped for big things.Ā
Sources who were involved in the potential deal for Fati had previously been involved in helping Cesc Fabregas move to Arsenal as a teenager, and told B/R how the move almost came off.
"West Ham knew about Ansu's situation and his family were keen to make the move to London, which can be a huge lure," the insider explained.Ā "The deal was agreed quickly with West Ham and the family, the player was happy and he had not signed his deal with Barcelona, meaning they were helpless to stop him."
However, the move then hit a glitch. Ansu was eligible for a Spanish passport, but it emerged that the documents had not been pushed throughāwhich meant West Ham could not conclude the deal.
"We were told the passport was not an issue but they didn't have it and it just did not progress quickly, which allowed Barcelona the time to step in, and with the truncated transfer window in England, the pressure was on," the insider added.
"It emerged that Ansu's Spanish passport would not come through until after August, and that stopped the deal in its tracks. But it was that closeāa piece of paperwork stopped West Ham from landing him. We fully expect Ansu to emerge as one of Europe's best talents, it is just a shame that he won't be showing off his talents at the London Stadium."
Since then, Ansu has received his Spanish passport and been called up to the Spain under-21 setup. Perhaps more importantly, since catching the eye of Valverde and bypassing Barcelona's B team, he has caught the imagination of fans across the world.
His senior career is off to a dream start and you sense this journey is only just beginning. The Premier League's miss is surely going to be La Liga's gain.
Listen to the B/R Football Ranks podcast. New episodes every Wednesday.Ā Subscribe here. And if you are already a fan of the show, vote for it for Best Podcast at theĀ FSA awards here.Ā
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Brazil Boss Tite Says Lionel Messi, Pele Comparisons 'Have No Credibility'
Nov 19, 2019
Argentina's forward Lionel Messi celebrates during the friendly football match between Argentina and Uruguay at the Bloomfield stadium in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv on November 18, 2019. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Brazil manager Tite has hit out at comparisons between Lionel Messi and Selecao legend Pele.Ā
Per Goal'sĀ Brendan McLoughlin, the coach spoke on Tuesdayāthe 50th anniversary of Pele's 1,000th career goalāand dismissed the notion that Barcelona and Argentina star Messi could be considered football's greatest player ahead of his compatriot:
"PeleĀ is incomparable. Anybody who wants to compare PeleĀ to any other athlete...do you know what I do? I hear but I don't listen.
"It's as if this person doesn't know the history of this man's quality...this guy was phenomenal. Once I said that Messi is extraordinary.
"I meant he's extraordinary to the present time and among humans, with his creativity. PeleĀ is out of normal patterns, and I'm not saying this because I'm a Brazilian.Ā You can't find a defect.
"If somebody comes to me and starts to make comparisons, for me it has no credibility."
Tite perhaps isn't too fond of Messi at the moment. He said the pair exchanged words in Argentina's 1-0 friendly win over Brazil on Friday, in which the forward struck the decisive goal:
š§š· boss Tite: "Messi should have been shown a yellow card and he told me to shut my mouth and I told him to shut his mouth." š¤ pic.twitter.com/UKRCCw6IB6
Per Copa90, the 32-year-old accused officials of "corruption" and said the tournament was "fixed for Brazil."
Argentina were denied what appeared to be two clear penalties in their semi-final with the Selecao, and Messi was controversially sent off in the third-place play-off after being confronted by Chile's Gary Medel. Both players were shown a red card, but Medel had been the aggressor.
Before Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo arrived on the scene, the only player who could likely dispute Pele's claim to being the best of all time was Diego Maradona.
In a 21-year career, Pele racked up 1,281 goals for club and country, which included 77 strikes in 91 appearances for Brazil.
The forward lifted the FIFA World Cup with Brazil on three occasionsāhe's the only player to win it more than twiceāinĀ 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Messi is yet to win an international tournament with Argentina despite reaching the World Cup final and three Copa America finals, although he won Olympic gold with his country in 2008.
He won't surpass Pele's astonishing goal record, either, but his numbers are remarkable in their own right:
On top of those, he also has 70 goals and 45 assists in 138 matches for Argentina.
What perhaps works in Messi's favour is that he has played in the modern eraāwith much greater coverage and accessible dataāwhile Pele's career came to an end in 1977.
The Brazil veteran also spent his club career at Santos and New York Cosmos, and many of his goals came in friendlies or against questionable opposition.
By contrast, Messi's exploits with Barcelona have repeatedly come at the highest level in Spain and the UEFA Champions League, against the world's best.
Both have enjoyed phenomenal careers, but if anyone can be credibly compared to Pele, it's Messi.
