Football: Forgotten Because of Messi

Argentina is no doubt a soccer powerhouse. It is the regional and global rival of Brazil in this respect. Argentina is a world cup winner and the fans are aware of the force the country represents when it comes to this sport. That Argentina won the Mundial only twice since 1986, does belie the capabilities of this talent hub. Talk about the duo of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi as belonging to the hall of fame of greatest footballers underline the depth in the quality of Argentina both as a team and as individual players.  Diego Armando Maradona who played for Argentina in Spain’s ’82 World Cup has his record cast in gold and etched forever in the annals of world football for his extraordinary exploits in Mexico in ’86 and beyond.  Since Lionel Messi broke into the Argentine national side in 2006, long after Maradona had retired, the debate has arisen as to which of the two is the best ever to be produced by Argentina, and could even be the world’s greatest footballer. The hysteria about Messi appears to have overtaken every reference and overrode the footprints that preceded his arrival on the scene.

Below are some of Argentina’s greats who seem to be forgotten.

Mario Kempis

Ariel Ortega

Carlos Tevez

‍Osvaldo Ardiles

 

 

The world of football has forgotten Argentina’s greats because of Lionel Messi. Football analysts who have walked up memory lane will tell you that each generation of Argentina’s Albeceste had produced a Messi wearing the sacred Number 10 jerseys.  Some have expressed notions pointing to Argentina as a side of a one-man show. Perhaps, they do not know Argentina so well and how time flies to erase memories of mercurial players who have donned the white and blue jerseys of the South American giants. Diego Armando Maradona, obviously, indubitably, the Primus Inter Pares, could raise the ball to his shoulders and then to his head and to his feet without the ball touching the pitch, bewildering defenders and other tacklers in the process.  Messi is the sequel blazing the trail of the skillful past heroes.