Lionel Messi is in the conversation for the greatest sportsman or athlete of all time, but the Argentina legend has revealed who he thinks is the real ‘GOAT’.
Tiger Woods called Messi the “greatest soccer player I’ve ever seen”
Messi secured his legacy as perhaps the greatest football player in history when Argentina were crowned World Cup champions in 2022, beating France on penalties in the final.
Ahead of that game, Tiger Woods claimed Messi is ahead of the rest: “He’s the greatest soccer player I’ve ever seen, I mean, you say Pele and Maradona but I just still think that what Messi does with the ball is stupid. It’s stuck to his foot.
“He makes people miss [and] with that left foot of his it’s made many a goalkeeper look bad.”
The Barcelona legend has won the most Ballon d’Or awards in history with eight, 12 major top flight titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues, as well as a whole collection of other trophies, cups and individual awards.
Legendary manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly said Messi is the “best player ever”, comparing him to superstar figures in other sports, including Woods.
“For me it’s easy to say he’s the best of all time, but the stars came together at the right moment. The GOAT? Maybe that’s a lack of respect to Pele and [Diego] Maradona, but for me, he is.
“I’ve never seen someone like him as a coach, you can’t imagine him maintaining this continuity for 15-20 years. When you see him up close, you think of Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan, we were lucky to work with him.”
The type of player whose artistry transcends beyond just what we see on the pitch, Messi was even called “amazing” and “magic” by his greatest competitor, Cristiano Ronaldo.
There are plenty of superstar athletes who would throw their hat in the ring for the ‘GOAT’ throne, but Messi himself believes one man stands above even his own accomplishments.
Messi: Michael Jordan is the Greatest Athlete Of All Time
Speaking on the Clank! Podcast in 2024, Messi revealed he believes NBA legend Michael Jordan is the one true ‘GOAT’.
“It seems to me, in terms of sports, he’s the greatest there is.
“But after having seen his series and getting to know a bit more about him, you know, ‘The Last Dance’, it just blows your mind, it’s a masterpiece, it’s impressive.
“Well, that also brought me closer to him and to understand a bit more about who he was. It’s a pity that I couldn’t live through that era in person, because I would’ve loved it.”
Jordan won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, incredibly holding a 6-0 finals record and being named the finals MVP in all six, while he also won the regular season MVP award on five occasions, which is second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
|
Is Michael Jordan the GOAT? |
Career NBA stats |
|---|---|
|
Points per game |
30.1 |
|
Assists per game |
6.2 |
|
Rebounds per game |
5.3 |
|
Steals per game |
2.3 |
|
Blocks per game |
0.8 |
|
NBA Championships |
Six |
|
NBA MVPs |
Five |
The 62 year-old was known for his sheer will and competitiveness, driving his teammates to succeed through brute force if necessary, with Scottie Pippen admitting he was a “difficult person to deal with” but a “great teammate” because he was “competitive 24/7”.
Messi’s former PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe, believes that LeBron James is the best ever, but Jordan’s reputation and impact as one of the first true globally recognised superstars puts him alone on the pedestal.
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