‘Maradona Was Pure Art, Messi A Speedy Gonzalez', Former Defender Compares Two Soccer ‘Giants’

Former Argentina soccer player Roberto Ayala has insisted that soccer greats, Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona must not be compared.

Ayala, who currently is a part of Lionel Scaloni’s coaching team with the Argentina national side, is one of those few players who have had the opportunity to play alongside both Messi and Maradona. When Ayala made his debut for Argentina in 1994, the FIFA World Cup-winning skipper was nearing the end of his career, while Messi broke into the side a couple of years before the defender retired in 2007.

The debate to determine who is greatest of the two – Messi or Maradona – has been going on for years now and in an attempt to avoid answering the controversial question, Ayala has said the two fellow Argentineans are very different as the current Barcelona skipper is “Speedy Gonzalez” and the latter was “pure art.”

“I played with both of them, with Diego I was taking my first steps. They are two footballing giants, and when he retires, Messi will be remembered. I don't know if it’ll be like Diego, it doesn't matter. They are different. Diego was pure art in all his mannerisms, Messi a Speedy Gonzalez who carries the ball two centimeters from his foot,” Ayala told Fox Sports in an interview.

While Maradona achieved success on both club and international levels, it has not been the same with Messi. Even though he has clinched record six Ballon d’Or awards and several trophies with Barcelona, he has not replicated the same success for Argentina, with whom he has suffered heartbreaking losses in two back-to-back Copa America finals and FIFA World Cup final in 2014. Following the second consecutive final loss in Copa America, coincidentally against the same side, Chile, a depressed Messi had announced his international retirement.

However, ahead of the 2018 edition of the World Cup, he returned to action for the Blues but once again could not find success. Argentina had failed to even reach the quarter-finals in the tournament, which took place in Russia.

”I hope that he gives us his footballing level, that he makes us grow as a team. Having a team with him, not of him. He wants to be treated like this, like just one more player. We told the players that he will not be treated differently by us. You all have to step up, do what you do for your clubs, and he will help you. You have to take advantage of that,” added Ayala.