Liverpool FC Forum

by **zarababe** » Sun May 29, 2005 6:48 pm

get over it.. Maradona is the greatest.. no-one comes closer ..

by **zarababe** » Sun May 29, 2005 7:07 pm

... Diego .. on becoming a Scouser..

:

by **Quimby** » Sun May 29, 2005 9:03 pm

Certainly didn't like his cheating, but still the greatest player I've seen in my lifetime. The goal he scored against England was great, but the one against Belgium in the semi-final was also amazing.

by **yckatbjywtbiastkamb** » Sun May 29, 2005 9:09 pm

Quimby wrote:Certainly didn't like his cheating, but still the greatest player I've seen in my lifetime. The goal he scored against England was great, but the one against Belgium in the semi-final was also amazing.

yeah, i remember he came over here in the late seventies with argentina when he was about 16 or 17 and played at wembley against england. the game was a draw but at one point he dribbled past about five of our players and just slid the ball an inch wide of the post. even then you could see he was something special.

by **clint** » Mon May 30, 2005 12:11 pm

he is the best footballer of all time bar none, he single handedly won napoli the league title in italy, and a couple of world cups. im glad to hear he is a red simply for the fact that it will encourage more people to start supporting out great club

by **Big Niall** » Mon May 30, 2005 1:20 pm

maradonna is the greatest player ever, better than Pele (he played in great international teams and never played club football in Europe).

The "cheating" thing is stupid. All players cheat, handballs, fouls, diving etc. He just got away with it on a big stage and I'd be p1ssed off if i was English but if you can put your anger aside, he was the only genius I've seen.

He is right that Brazilian team couldn't have come back but they are all in their 60s

by **Big Niall** » Mon May 30, 2005 1:25 pm

he is more than the 86 cup, also dragged them to final in 90 and went to Napoli and was a star week in/out, we had italian highlights every week on RTE and he was amazing EVERY WEEK.

I never liked the man much though, always made excuses for his personal shortcomings and never took responsibility.

John Barnes said he applauded his second goal against England, and said that he didn't consider Maradonna a contempory as he was so much better than everybody else and this coming from one of LFCs all time greats.

by **woof woof !** » Mon May 30, 2005 2:46 pm

I have no time at all for Maradonna the man , I do however hold my hand up and say he is probably the greatest player I've ever seen . He had it all with bags to spare.

by **zarababe** » Mon May 30, 2005 2:47 pm

. .. absolutely spot on Big N.. I have video recordings of his days at Napoli.. they became the best in Italy because of him.. I believe they have a Maradona day in the city now, because of the awesome impact he had...

.. My Ma's seen both Pele and Maradona play.. she's a big Brazilian fan.. and she said to me Pele was grt but Maradona was awesome.. the best..

.. No one has come close to the dream football he played and he did play the baeutiful game.. "beautifully.. "

.. Cheating though we don't like it.. is part and parcel of the game.. the time u fall over for a penalty etc.. but as you rightly say... that is no reason to deny the talent.. when Linekar scored with his hand against the Dutch in the Euro championship.. he was off celebrating.. the ref pulled him back .. Linekar did not say.. "oh no ref I scored with me hand so it's not a goal"

.. people forget the kicking Diego used to be subjected to .. nearly finished his playing days.. cortesan injections and playng through the pain barrier.. the world was fortunate to witness the talent..

.. I'm proud that the game's greatest player supports us .. even if it's on the back of that grt perfromance.. (and not my Avatar

) his words tell u how he still watches the game from a purests point of view..

by **greenred** » Mon May 30, 2005 3:28 pm

More quotes from before and after....

Paolo Maldini 'It is only my children who keep me awake at night - there's no other reason why I'd lose sleep before this game. Liverpool don't know how to attack - caution is at the heart of their game. We play the game properly: our defence is the best in Europe, and therefore the world.' Silvio Berlusconi, Milan Owner 'Liverpool are inferior to Milan. Milan are in their seventh Champions League final under my leadership. It is a record that makes me feel proud. We are the leading players in world football, the standard-bearers for good play. We are winners, we want to win games in a convincing fashion. This is an ongoing tradition - and one that will continue on Wednesday.'
Andriy Shevchenko 'Liverpool won't win. I said at the start of the season Liverpool couldn't win the Champions League and I still don't think they will. Milan will win.' Steven Gerrard 'I will lift that trophy. I will be the one doing it, not Paolo Maldini. Imagine that, me with the trophy in the air. It will be the proudest moment of my life. I've seen those images, of Emlyn Hughes, Phil Thompson and Graeme Souness with that great big cup hoisted high above them, and the look on their faces. I want the same. I want that picture on my wall when I'm older. Me with the trophy above my head.'

and after......

Diego Maradona (Pictured - in Istanbul as a TV pundit): 'Liverpool showed that miracles exist. They proved that football is the most beautiful sport of them all. After this game, my English team is going to be Liverpool. I came across some of their fans beforehand and they told me they were going to win, but that they would be made to suffer. It's just the way it happened. Liverpool are the best team in the world for what they have done in this Champions League. They deserved the Cup.'

Franz Beckenbauer 'With fighting spirit and passion, Liverpool pushed themselves over the line for what it is possible to achieve. You have to give them a huge compliment for the way they fought their way back. You can't do it in any better way. They should be able to defend their trophy. They have simply deserved it.' Gianluigi Buffon (below) Juventus goalkeeper 'I will have to do like Dudek the next time. Maybe if I had done that against Milan in 2003 we would have won. During penalties a goalkeeper has the chance to become a fool or a hero. You have to admire his performance: atypical but still useful. Football is often crazy'

Silvio Berlusconi 'Sack Ancelotti? No, poor man, I will never sack him.' Luis Garcia (above) 'Not even in my wildest dreams did I dream Liverpool would achieve all that it has in this first year in England. So impressive.' Xabi Alonso 'I'm enjoying this triumph like a child. The secret is that Liverpool is as strong as a pine cone. There is a great sense of camaraderie and an out-of-the-ordinary collective will to get through the tough patches.' Dietmar Hamann 'Never has an evening started so badly and finished so beautifully. we seemed to play ourselves into a frenzy and turned the match completely on its head in a way that I have never seen.' Michael Owen 'In Spain now everyone supports Liverpool' Afton bladet (Sweden) 'Were Liverpool worthy champions? What do you mean? I see Xabi Alonso (below) dance, Steven Gerrard weep and 45,000 people sing You'll never walk alone . The question is not whether they were worthy. The question is whether we were worthy to watch this final.'

Marca (Spain) 'Liverpool have been pronounced brilliant winners... thanks to the overwhelming pride shown by Rafael Benitez's (above) team. Rafa touched the sky in Turkey.' Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy) 'Incredible. Milan lose a trophy they had already won. And they lost it in a bad way. A really bad way. A really, really bad way.' Bild (Germany) 'It was gigantic. It was sensational. It was out of this world. Thank you, Milan. Thank you, Liverpool. For the best Champions League final in history.'

El Pais (Spain) 'Benitez is The King of the Mersey. He may not have a statue yet at Anfield, but his name will always be associated with a moment that can only increase the legend of the Reds.' AS (Spain) 'For two decades Liverpool have been an ordinary team and lacking in the greatness that characterised their history. Worse still they had become resigned to accepting that they were ordinary. But they have got where they have today because of the methodical work of their new coach and his assistants. These men showed everyone that a limited team can still end up being winners.'

Hurriyet (Turkey) 'A fantastic night. The most exciting Champions League final happened in Istanbul. Turkey shone with organising the final in a perfect manner.' Sabah (Turkey) 'It was a fairy tale from Istanbul. The most beautiful city on earth supplied a wonderful Champions League final. Turkey won 3-0 and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan scored twice, the final one with a shot for Turkish tourism.'

by **policy** » Mon May 30, 2005 7:07 pm

Good post Green. But your avatar is offensively old. :nod

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Even the 1970 brazil side could have.... - Maradona's own words

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