Modern society in its characteristics develops and transforms by deleting history or at least taking it in fits and starts for the convenience of those who manage communication today.
Football, but above all those who love it, however, have an infallible memory. For better or for worse.
It remembers its Eras, its Champions, its development, its ideas, its nature and its roots in society.
In this great confrontation between the commodification and sanctification of the current and the nostalgic defense of yesterday's football I choose the complex evaluation of the context in which the Champions offer emotions. Context understood as a set of determining factors, technical, psychological, tactical, physical, social, regulatory and behavioral.
And even if we were to use this set of characteristics, the evaluation to determine the Best would be almost impossible.
With Argentina's victory at the World Cup in Qatar, the dispute between the absolute dominance between Lionel Messi and Diego Armando Maradona has finally and officially opened.
Messi is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in the history of football.
Let's take it as a premise. By numbers, by class, by inspiration.
But history also says that the Argentine grew up in an accommodating technical context.
A technological football in favor of the attackers, where there is no room for individual markings and where the tactics of the weakest who want to oppose the strength of the strongest is increasingly faded.
A football for everyone and for everyone where everyone wants to take the stage with wonderful innovation and racing, in which competitive spirit appears as the enemy and the enemy of current events.
A fast, dynamic, open football where the result must come out after the play and not the play to serve the result.
A football that has leveled the average values but has given exposure to the best values, a football visible to everyone who thinks he is among the people and does not belong to the people.
Messi broke the mold of fast but careless football, he illuminated with plays with a global echo. He influenced his teams technically, he made the game better but he wasn't the best.
We arrive in Maradona.
If we look back we find increasingly strong teams, especially in the World Championships. France of 2018 was stronger than current Argentina. Germany in 2014 much more solid and compact than France, Spain more sparkling and spectacular than the Germans. Italy in 2006 would have found few opponents in this World Cup despite not being the favorite in theirs, Brazil in 2002 not to mention France in '98.
Maradona made a difference trying in every way not to make it.
He subverted the rules of the game in unfavorable football. He won where it was not possible and in addition to his skills he threw his personality into the fray.
He wasn't just a soccer player he had set himself up as a boss, a fallible but extraordinary driver.
Maradona was the foot of victory and the responsibility to be taken in times of difficulty.
Messi is Global, Maradona was Identity.
Messi unites, Maradona divided.
Messi wins, Maradona fought.
So the main definition is the change of society and consequently of football, its rhythms and its players. Many, too many differences in a few decades that have diverted the nature and the way, the perception.
Considering this, finding The Best would be too great a wrong that would lack respect for those who enjoy Football but if I ask the following questions the answers help me get closer:
Could Maradona have played or adapted to current football? Would Messi have played and shined with this frequency in 80s-90s football?
Perhaps from my in-depth study its caliber can be guessed but I leave it up to you to interpret it freely.
Article Is Maradona better than Lionel? From Sports born.
