Why ‘brilliant’ Lionel Messi would have been ‘crushed’ in Diego Maradona’s era

Dino Baggio says Lionel Messi would have struggled in the Maradona era

Baggio shared his perspective in comments reported by World Soccer Talk, where he compared how the two players would fare across eras.

The focus was on how the game has changed, particularly in terms of physicality and refereeing.

He said, “Perhaps Messi could have had problems here in his day. Today, fouls are called before contact, practically. Maradona, in modern times, would score a thousand goals per season.

“You can’t imagine what they would hit him with when he was at Napoli.”

The comment highlights the harsher conditions Maradona faced, especially during his time in Serie A.

Dino Baggio claims Lionel Messi would have been ‘crushed’ in the older football era

Baggio went even further when explaining why he ultimately ranks Maradona higher.

The former Italian midfielder stated, “Messi, back then, would have been equally brilliant, but completely, absolutely crushed. That’s why I say Diego was the greatest. The God of world football.”

The argument is not about ability, but about environment, with Baggio suggesting the physical demands of the past would have limited Messi.

It is a viewpoint that continues to fuel one of football’s most enduring debates.