🚨🗣️ Luis Díaz: "When I was young, I had an Argentina jersey, and I told my friends that Messi gave it to me, and They all believed me because I was their leader and knew football very well.
When I met Messi, I asked him for his jersey and told him the story. He said to me, 'Bring me that jersey so I can sign it and turn the lie into the truth, and now you'll have a real one! He also asked me for my jersey.
When I gave it to him, he jokingly said, 'Tell your friends that Messi asked for your jersey!' He was very humble and shy. He has always been my idol."
➤ El único portero en toda la historia que ha ganado dos tripletes.
➤ El capitán del primer club alemán que ganó El Sextete en toda la historia del fútbol.
➤ Campeón del mundo con la Selección de Alemania tras golear a la Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo, luego de vencer a la Argentina de Lionel Messi en la final y siendo El Guante de Oro de todo el torneo.
➤ Capaz de entrar al TOP 3 del Balón de Oro en plena época del prime de Lionel Messi y Cristiano Ronaldo.
➤ Uno de los porteros con más premios individuales junto a monstruos de la talla de Iker Casillas y Gianluigi Buffon.
➤ Y, con 40 años de edad, sigue siendo capaz de ser el MVP en unos cuartos de final de Champions League ante el Real Madrid.
Por sus logros colectivos, por su rendimiento individual, por su consistencia, por su profesionalismo, por el nivel que alcanzó en su prime y por lo completo que es, no se puede le puede discutir más.
EL MEJOR PORTERO DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS.
🚨🗣️ Pep Guardiola:
"The difference between Messi and this generation? I’ll be honest, if Messi were still in Europe, half of these stars… you wouldn’t hear much about their names. Today’s forwards score 20 goals a season and are considered legends. Messi would score 20 goals in two months or half a month and still complain he wasn’t at his best.
Players today celebrate routine goals. Messi used to embarrass us by scoring world-class goals every single week. You know what the difference is between Messi and today’s generation? They need tactical analysis, performance-tracking devices, and nutritionists. Messi just needed a ball, boots, and my permission to train three extra hours.
I’m coaching Haaland now, and he’s amazing. But if Messi were in the Premier League, Erling would be playing left back. Messi didn’t compete against players, he competed against our idea of what was impossible. Today Mbappé runs, Haaland scores, and De Bruyne passes, but no one, no one, can make us say, ‘Oh my God, how did he do that?’
Some players create stats. Messi created pure wonder."
[PurelyFootball]
On this day 9 years ago, the Rams hired a young first-year coach coming off a Week 17 loss where his offense scored 7 points in a must-win at home and was eliminated from playoff contention, instead.
Bold hire. Maybe the best in recent memory. Take swings. (@AllenSales h/t )