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Lionel Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo but still falls short of the standards set by Diego Maradona, claims Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Messi made another dazzling contribution to Barcelona’s Champions League bid last night/on Wednesday, scoring twice to help them beat Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of their semi-final.
Even though Real Madrid star Ronaldo holds the Ballon d’Or, Pochettino believes his fellow Argentine holds the edge – though not when compared with another of their compatriots.
“Maradona was my idol who I was lucky to play with and is maybe one step up, but Messi is better than Cristiano and can decide the game,” said Pochettino, who played at Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys with Maradona in the early 1990s.
“For me it’s always Maradona. I love Messi but it will always be Maradona. They are very different as characters but Maradona for my generation was very special. When I was young, he was captain of Argentina and inspired them to the 1986 World Cup.
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“Messi changed the game last night. If he is against you, the manager or the tactical situation are not important. It shows football is about the players.”
