Featured Image Credit: YouTube
Topics: Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
Josh Lawless
Topics: Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi are both considered to be two of the greatest footballers of all time and back in 2005 the pair shared the pitch together.
In 2005 Messi was just 18-years-old and had already helped Barcelona to win La Liga, making seven appearances in the league title victory, he was starting to show his brilliance and was, like many before him, being compared to Maradona.
Anyone who wanted to see how they compared got the chance when the teenager linked up with a 45-year-old Maradona for an Argentina All Stars team in a charity match.
The likes of Sergio Aguero, Diego Simeone and Juan Sebastian Veron were also involved but it's the link up play between the two incredible 'number 10s' that really catches the attention.
It's clear from the highlights that the two men were on the same wavelength with passes, one-twos, and flicks that are difficult to deal with.
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Not everything is perfect but with a bit more time together it's easy to see how incredible the two men playing together would have been.
It's especially impressive when you consider one man was way past his prime and the other several years before it.
The pair played other charity matches together, with the most recent being in 2016, but the first time is the closest to a fully functioning Maradona fans got to see partner with Messi.
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Of course the two men would work together again as the Napoli legend took on the job as Argentina manager between 2008 and 2010.
Martin Palermo's injury time penalty in Argentina's penultimate game of the 2010 World Cup qualifying against Peru, followed by Mario Bolatti's 84th minute winner in the final game against Uruguay meant the side just snuck through to the finals in South Africa.
The South Americans breezed through their group before beating Mexico 3-1 in the second round. However in the quarters they were embarrassed by a 4-0 win for Germany and Maradona was soon sacked.
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12 years later and Messi would follow in the footsteps of the late Maradona in lifting the World Cup with Argentina, 36 years after he did in Mexico back in 1986.
Messi scored twice in the final, which Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after an enthralling 3-3 draw at the Lusail Stadium.
Messi recreated the iconic image of Maradona when he was hoisted on his teammate's shoulders with the World Cup trophy in hand.