From competing in the first-ever FIFA World Cup final back in 1930, to their crowning as world champions once again in 2022, Argentina have consistently produced some of the best footballers of every generation. But few national legends compare to the two giants that have spearheaded the Argentinian game: Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

Both wore Argentina’s famous No.10 shirt, both inspired their country to World Cup glory and both are revered as national icons whose influence extends far beyond the pitch.

While Maradona’s dazzling displays at the 1986 World Cup and his larger-than-life legacy made him the benchmark for generations, Messi has spent the last two decades rewriting the record books, culminating in World Cup success of his own in 2022. The pair starred in different eras, faced different challenges and played under vastly different conditions, making any comparison far from straightforward.

But who was the better player? From trophies and individual awards, to statistics and testimonies from the game’s greatest, here’s how Messi and Maradona compare across the key areas that define footballing greatness.

Argentina and World Cup Record

Whilst Diego Maradona was left out of the 1978 squad that won the nation’s first world title due to the worry that he was ‘too young’, he would go on to achieve the same feat as Messi in 2022, by captaining his side to World Cup glory at the 1986 edition of the tournament in Mexico against West Germany.

Maradona played every minute of every Argentina game in that competition, netting five goals and registering five assists. His goals included two of the most well-known goals scored in football history, both in their knockout match with England. The first saw his score past Peter Shilton, with help from the “hand of God”, before dribbling past five English defenders just four minutes later, and leaving the goalkeeper scrambling on the floor as he slotted the ball into the net. His assist in the 84th minute of the final secured Argentina’s 3-2 victory over West Germany, and saw Maradona receive the golden ball for his efforts across the tournament.

Lionel Messi’s road to World Cup glory was equally impressive, as he saw himself crowned world champion and awarded with the golden ball award in 2022, becoming the first player to win the award twice, after scoring seven goals and assisting three more. He scored in every Argentina game in that campaign, except for their final group stage game against Poland. One area where Messi does surpass his predecessor is in the Copa América, with Maradona having not featured in either of the squads that won the competition in 1991 and 1993. Messi, on the other hand, has won the competition twice, in both 2021 and 2024.

Club Careers & Honours

Having netted 116 times across his 166-game, five-year stint at Argentinos Juniors, Maradona stayed at Boca Juniors for just one season, before moving to Spanish giants Barcelona, where he scored 38 goals across two seasons. He then moved to Italy, where the vast majority of his silverware came via his time at Napoli. He accumulated two Serie A titles, as well as two other domestic trophies and a UEFA Cup.

Messi’s domestic career, on the other hand, was laden with trophies and achievements. As he made his first professional appearance for Barcelona in October 2004, at just 17-years-old, few could imagine the career he would go on to have. His 17-year stint at the club saw him amass a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. His final Barcelona tally stood at an incredible 474 goals across 520 games. He then joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, winning a further three trophies, before joining David Beckham-owned Inter Miami just two years later.

Individual Awards

Diego Maradona’s list of individual achievements easily trumps his select club and national trophies, including his FIFA World Cup golden ball from 1986, four appearances in the Serie A Team of the Year, the FIFA Goal of the Century award for his second against England in 1986 and a joint FIFA Player of the Century award, which was shared with Brazilian great Pele.

However, Lionel Messi’s entire list of personal accolades would take years to list off. From his record-breaking eight Ballons d’Or, to his two World Cup Golden Balls and his six European Golden Shoes, the Argentine has accumulated an extraordinary number of ‘top scorer’ and ‘best player’ awards.

After Maradona’s death in 2020, former Argentinian head coach, Marcelo Bielsa, spoke about Maradona’s famous ‘hand of God’ goal, saying:

Former AC Milan and Italy defender Paolo Maldini hailed Maradona as “the best I have ever played against”, and also stated that he “was a great role model on the pitch. He was respectful of everyone, from the great players down to the ordinary team members.”

Former Barcelona and England striker, Gary Lineker, who was part of the England squad whom Maradona has dissected in 1986, recalled the second of his brace by saying, “When Diego scored that second goal against us, I felt like applauding. I’d never felt like that before, but it’s true… It was impossible to score such a beautiful goal. He’s the greatest player of all time, by a long way.”

Messi also has a long list of admirers, including Dutch footballing legend Johan Cruyff, who praised Messi’s incredible footballing IQ in 2010 by saying, “Leo floats over the field — sometimes you have the sensation he’s not even there, that he’s hiding. But he’s there and the rival knows it.”

Brazilian centre-back, Thiago Silva, has been one of Messi’s countless victims over the years, and explained the terrifying positions the Argentine can put defenders in:

Speaking in 2012, legendary Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, noted how “he’s a once in a generation player. I think it’s unlikely that any human being again will repeat the numbers that Messi is getting.”

All data correct as of July 21, 2026.

Aston Villa are suddenly in the midst of one of the biggest squad rebuilds in recent memory amid plenty of incomings and outgoings.

There hadn’t been much activity before this past week, when Youri Tielemans joined Manchester United out of the blue. The club triggered a £35 million release clause in the Belgian’s contract.

Villa reacted quickly and paid a club record £52 million for Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi. This was followed by a deal for Joao Gomes, who arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £38m.

Chelsea then hijacked Arsenal’s move for Morgan Rogers and paid a British transfer record £117m for the English attacker. The twists keep on coming for the Villans as they have been offered the chance to sign a former target.

Aston Villa Offered Liam Delap

via Reuters

Villa have been in the market for a new striker and Chelsea have reportedly offered them Liam Delap. A report from Football Insider claims that the Blues’ new boss Xabi Alonso deems the English frontman surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.

Delap, dubbed “fantastic”, had been on Emery’s radar before heading to west London from Ipswich Town for £30m last summer. After impressing in his first Premier League season with the Tractor Boys, many expected him to shine.

That hasn’t been the case as Delap has flopped, enduring disastrous form since making the move. He managed just one goal in 28 league games.

Villa have seemingly been put off by the 23-year-old’s struggles as they are reportedly “not interested” in signing him this summer. Emery prefers to swoop for a more dynamic and pacey forward rather than the Englishman.

That could well be Nicolas Jackson, who spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich after falling out of favour at Chelsea. GIVEMESPORT sources understand that the Villans have made an enquiry about signing the Senegalese striker who played under Emery at Villarreal.

Jackson is Perfect For Villa

Villa are undoubtedly making the right decision not to take up Chelsea’s offer to sign Delap. His poor past season is hard to ignore, and he doesn’t feel like an Emery-type striker.

Jackson, on the other hand, would be an excellent addition to the Villans’ squad and could be a long-term solution. At 25, he is at an ideal age to come in and lead the line for Emery for years to come.

A potential deal will probably be more expensive than one for Delap, but it would be worth it. He performed well for the Blues after making the move from Villarreal despite heavy scrutiny, and Emery knows him well.

The reigning Premier League champions, Arsenal, are facing the task of defending their league crown for the first time since 2004 and will want to hit the ground running.

Having finally edged out rivals Manchester City in a back-and-forth title race, the focus will be on repeating the success. Losing out in the Champions League final on penalties will also be a significant motivator.

Expect Mikel Arteta to tweak his squad ever so slightly; it was well documented that he already possessed one of the best squads in Europe last season, meaning we can’t expect too many major changes.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be changes, as title winners often have to add something new to their makeup to ensure they have a new dynamic — but changing or spending too much, like Liverpool in 2025, could be detrimental to their chances of going back-to-back.

Ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, GIVEMESPORT brings you every new signing and departure from the Emirates Stadium.

New Arsenal Signings 2026/27

Arsenal’s squad is already among the best in England, which is why Arteta hasn’t overseen a lot of activity in terms of incomings in July. The main addition is confirming that key defender Piero Hincapie has made his loan move permanent from Bayer Leverkusen for around £34.5m.

The Ecuador international made 39 appearances in his debut campaign, starting seven Champions League games, including the final, and was often rotated with Riccardo Calafiori. Also arriving is Leeds United keeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer to round out their goalkeeper trio of David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

A new winger is on the cards, with Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams reportedly a key target. Other figures include Newcastle United‘s Bruno Guimaraes, who has been a long-term target and who could bolster their already-impressive engine room.

There’s also the Club Brugge attacker Christos Tzolis, who is reportedly close to signing for the club, having netted 17 goals and provided 23 assists as he led his side to the Belgium league title last season.

Arsenal Departures 2026/27

Regarding departures, the big news is that Leandro Trossard has left for new pastures, signing for Turkish club Besiktas for around £15.3million. Having started an average of 20 league games across his Arsenal career, his average of 13 goal contributions per campaign will certainly be missed, but there is a consensus that the left-wing/left-attack position is one that needed upgrading.

Another exit is defender Jakub Kiwior. The Poland international had just spent a season on loan with Porto. His impressive form ensured that they exercised their option to make the deal permanent for around £14.7m, and he leaves three years after moving to North London. The only other exit was backup keeper Karl Hein, who has also seen his loan made permanent — joining Werder Bremen for a fee just under £3m.

Outside of that, the Gunners have allowed a whole host of youngsters to leave for free, including: Jadon Josh Nichols, Alexei Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Samuel Onyekachukwu, Will Lannin-Sweet, Cam’ron Ismail, Seb Ferdinand, Harrison Dudziak and Sam Chapman.

Other potential deals include midfielder Fabio Vieira, who has spent the majority of his Arsenal career on loan. Even big names such as Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri could exit, as up to eight players could still depart.

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