I’ve never been a fan of the “best ever” term. It’s one of those phrases that gets used much too often to the point where it begins to lose all meaning. Currently it’s used in the same breath as one Lionel Messi, having won his fourth Ballon D’Or last week. 

Now I’m inclined to disagree with this. It’s unfair to say Messi’s the best ever. He’s achieved some absolutely incredibly feats this year and been phenomenal in everything he’s done. 91 goals in one calendar year as well as becoming Barcelona’s top scorer last season made him the clear leader in the race for the Ballon D’Or. 

Football’s come a long way in the last 100 years or so. From those incredibly heavy footballs to the intimately designed super balls we see today, from the pitches and the equipment and the rule changes, it’s changed a lot. Technology has improved vastly, making analysis and training much better and more efficient. The kit and equipment that players have access to vastly exceeds that of what they had 30 years ago. The footballs are lighter, the pitches are better, and the rules have changed. Crunching tackles of the 70s and 80s barely have a place in modern football. Football’s become much, much easier since then.

Messi’s the best player in the world right now, but to say he’s the best ever is a bit unfair, especially if you have never watched players such as Maradona or Pele in their prime. Put Messi in a game in the 70s or 80s and I’m absolutely sure you would not see the outcome that you do today. If you put Maradona or Pele in the current Barcelona team, I’d bank on them being just as, if not more prolific than Messi is right now. 

 Every generation will have a different player who they will say is the best ever. Some will say Messi, some Maradona, some Pele. Messi’s 4 Ballon D’Or awards is a magnificent achievement but before 1995, players from outside of Europe were ineligible to win the award. Whether that effects the judgement or not is a different matter. Messi’s arguably the best ever but without watching every generation’s best player it’s difficult to really say whether he is or is not having not judged his predecessors.