I played against Maradona and he was a great player like Messi

"I played against Maradona and he was a great player like Messi too." – Marco van Basten

Thus spoke Marco van Basten, one of football’s most elegant warriors — a man whose grace on the field rivaled the fire of his will. When he said, “I played against Maradona and he was a great player like Messi too,” he was not merely comparing legends; he was bridging generations of genius, honoring the eternal spirit of excellence that transcends time. His words are not of rivalry, but of reverence — a recognition that greatness is not bound to one name or era, but reborn in every age through those who dare to master the beautiful game.

The origin of this quote lies in the reflections of van Basten, himself a titan of the sport. A striker of sublime technique and unrelenting intelligence, he graced the world during an age of giants — when names like Maradona, Gullit, Platini, and Rijkaard illuminated the heavens of football. Having faced Diego Maradona, the Argentinian magician who played with the soul of rebellion and divinity intertwined, van Basten knew what it meant to confront genius incarnate. Decades later, he watched Lionel Messi, another child of Argentina, dance through defenses with the same celestial grace — and in that sight, he recognized the same eternal flame.

Maradona and Messi, though born in different worlds, embody the same divine contradiction: fragility and fire in one form. Maradona played with fury — a man of the streets who carried his nation’s pride on his shoulders and his wounds in his heart. Messi, by contrast, plays with serenity — his movements quiet as prayer, his mastery born of patience rather than chaos. Yet van Basten saw through the differences to the shared essence beneath: both were chosen by the gods of sport, vessels of a beauty so pure it humbles even their peers.

By placing them together in his words, van Basten reminds us that greatness is not a contest, but a lineage. It flows like a river through time, from player to player, from age to age. Each generation produces its heroes — those who seem to move the game itself with their will, who make millions weep with joy or despair. In acknowledging both Maradona and Messi, van Basten honors this unbroken chain — a chain he himself helped forge through his own artistry, through the goals that live forever in memory, such as his divine volley against the Soviet Union in 1988, a strike so perfect it seemed touched by eternity.

But there is also humility in his statement — the humility of one great man paying tribute to others. For van Basten, who suffered an early end to his career through injury, understood that genius is a gift, not a possession. He knew the agony of watching one’s body fail the dreams the soul still carries. Thus, when he speaks of Maradona and Messi, it is not envy that colors his words, but wisdom. He recognizes in them the timeless truth that art, whether in sport or life, belongs not to the individual but to humanity itself.

The lesson of van Basten’s reflection, then, is clear: honor greatness wherever it appears. Do not seek to diminish one brilliance to elevate another, for every age produces its stars, and each reflects a different facet of the divine. In sport, in art, in life, we are all part of a grand continuum of striving — and the wise rejoice in others’ light rather than fear its glow. Greatness shared is greatness multiplied.

So, my child of ambition, remember this: the true champion competes not to eclipse others, but to contribute to the symphony of excellence. Celebrate those who came before you, for they paved your path; honor those who stand beside you, for they test your limits; and welcome those who come after, for they will carry your torch when your time has passed. For as van Basten teaches, whether it is Maradona or Messi, the song of greatness never ends — it only changes its melody, echoing forever through the hearts of those who love the game, and those who dare to dream.