Cannavaro: Maradona is the Greatest of all-time not Messi
Everyone has their own idea about who is the 'GOAT' - former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has delivered his say on the Diego Maradona-Lionel Messi debate.
For Fabio Cannavaro, Diego Maradona is the greatest footballer of all time, not Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.
Maradona and Messi are widely regarded as two of the greatest players ever to have lived and the Argentine pair's respective place in football history is usually hotly debated. Messi is a record six-time Ballon d'Or winner but former Italy captain Cannavaro believes 1986 World Cup champion Maradona is simply the best.
The 80s was a different time for football
"I respect Messi a lot. For the new generation he is one of the best, but Maradona is different because the football was different back then," Cannavaro – now head coach of Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande told Sky Sports. "They kicked him a lot, but he was always in control and he was tough. Messi is top, but Maradona is another world. I never compare him with other players. I never saw Pele, but I watched Maradona, for seven years I saw every game. He's not one of the best, he's the best."
Maradona won silverware at Barcelona, helping the Spanish giants to win the Copa del Rey, Copa de la Liga and Spanish Super Cup.
Messi versus Maradona
The 59-year-old then went on to become an icon with Napoli, where he won two Serie A titles, as well as UEFA Cup, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana.
Messi has won 10 LaLiga crowns and four Champions League titles among other honours at Barcelona, though he has not tasted senior success with Argentina.