When Messi and Maradona played together in the same match

The Daily Star  November 27, 2020
Star Online Report

Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi belonged to two very different eras of Argentine national team. Just like there was a before and after Maradona in the Argentina team, there will be a before Lionel Messi too, but did these two Argentine legends ever exchange passes on the field of play?

Argentine football great Diego Maradona died on Wednesday, aged 60, after suffering a heart attack. Many might ponder what if the two greats could play together.

The pair had teamed up between 2008 and 2010 when Maradona managed the Argentina national team. But once they also teamed up for a game of football, albeit for charity.

During 2005, they played for the same team in a charity game with Messi aged just 18 and Maradona 45.

The game also featured other Argentine stars such as Juan Riquelme, Diego Simeone, Marcelo Gallardo, Sergio Aguero and Juan Sebastian Veron.

Messi, still very young, combined with his hero Maradona during some fascinating passing exchanges and it was evident that the pair was having fun on the pitch.

 

While it is often argued who the greatest footballer of all time is, Messi had no doubts.

He once said: “Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona.

“Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever been.”