New Maradona orNew Diego was a title given by the press and public to promisingArgentinefootball players in reference (and reverence) toDiego Maradona as a benchmark. Since Maradona retired, fans had been anticipating someone to lead theArgentina national team to aWorld Cup final, like Maradona did in1986 and1990. As a consequence, very talented youngsters were quickly labeled as theNew Maradona. Originally it wasDiego Latorre who was said to be the New Maradona. Since then a number of top draw Argentine footballers have been slated as the New Maradona[1]. The likes of Ariel Ortega, Pablo Aimar, Gabriel Omar Batistuta and Javier Pedro Saviola all had been said to be the “New Maradona” early on in their career. But none of them could live up to the expectations.
In recent years, Atletico Madrid’s Sergio Aguero and FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi have been labeled as the “New Maradona”.[2]
Lionel Messi has been named as the "New Maradona" by Maradona himself.
On October 14, 2006 in a match against Recreativo Huelva, Lionel Messi scored a goal with his hand, which made people draw comparisons to the Hand of God goal scored by Maradona against England in 1986 FIFA World Cup. On April 18, 2007 Lionel Messi scored a goal against Getafe CF[3], one of which was very similar to Maradona's second goal against England, called the Goal of the Century. The world's sports press exploded with Maradona comparisons, and the Spanish press labeled Messi "Messidona". Messi also scored a goal using his hand in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with RCD Espanyol, leading to many people drawing comparisons to Maradona's first goal against England.[4]
Lionel Messi has universally been considered as Maradona's successor which earned him the title, an assertion supported by Maradona himself.[5] Like Maradona, Messi won the FIFA World Youth Championship, in2005 with Argentina, and won theGolden Ball.[6] Coincidentally, both players made their national debut against Hungary. Messi would make his debut in theFIFA World Cup in2006 againstSerbia and Montenegro, coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute.[7] Maradona, who was in attendance, was shown erupting with joy as Messi entered the pitch.[8] Messi would provide a goal and an assist, becoming the youngest World Cup goalscorer in Argentinian history.[7]
Already frequently compared to Maradona, Messi proved their similarity when he nearly replicated two of his most famous goals in 2007.[9] On 18 April, he scored a goal againstGetafe CF, which was very similar to Maradona'sGoal of the Century, scored againstEngland in the1986 World Cup. The world's sports press exploded with Maradona comparisons, and the Spanish press labeled Messi "Messidona".[10] Two months later, on 9 June, in a league match againstRCD Espanyol, Messi scored a goal using his hand, which drew comparisons to theHand of God goal scored by Maradona in the same World Cup match.[11] On 12 March 2013, in a Champions league match againstA.C. Milan, Messi scored a goal that once again drew further comparisons between himself and Maradona, due to the similarity with Maradona's famous goal againstGreece in the1994 FIFA World Cup.[12]
As his career progressed, Messi proved his similarity beyond all previous contenders to the "New Maradona" moniker, establishing himself as the best player Argentina had produced since Maradona.[13]Messi went on to inherit Maradona's number 10 shirt and role as captain forArgentina. Messi would first wear the number 10 jersey and for one game the captain's armband at an international tournament in the2010 World Cup, under Maradona as coach, the latter thoroughly impressed with the former's skills.[14][15] Maradona gave him Messi blessing to wear the shirt, saying "The No 10 is yours. There's nobody better than you to wear it".[16]Jorge Valdano, who won the World Cup with Maradona, said in October 2013, "Messi is Maradona every day. For the last five years, Messi has been the Maradona of the World Cup in Mexico."[17]César Menotti, who as manager orchestrated their1978 World Cup victory, echoed this sentiment when he opined that Messi plays "at the level of the best Maradona".[18] Other notable Argentines in the sport such asDiego Simeone andJavier Zanetti expressed their belief between 2012–13 that Messi had already overtaken Maradona as the best player in the nation's history.[19][20]
In the2014 FIFA World Cup, Messi captained Argentina. During the tournament, Messi's passionate celebration after scoring the match winning goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina was compared to Maradona's famous goal celebration against Greece in 1994. Furthermore, images surfaced which compared the heavy marking both players faced by the opposition defence at the World Cup.[21] Like Maradona in 1986, Messi also made the most successful dribbling runs of any other player throughout the 2014 tournament, and knocked out Belgium on the way tothe final, drawing further comparisons between the two players.[14] It was Argentina's first final since Maradona had last brought them there as captain in1990, where Argentina were once again defeated 1–0 by Germany. Like Maradona in1986, Messi was involved in the vast majority of Argentina's goals, and was awarded theGolden Ball as the tournament's best player, scoring four goals and providing an assist.[14] With this achievement, Maradona and Messi are the only players to win the Golden Ball at both theFIFA U-20 World Cup andFIFA World Cup, with Maradona doing so in1979 and1986, while Messi managed the same feat in2005 and in2014.[22] However, his selection as the winner of the Golden Ball drew criticism due to his lack of goals in the knockout round; Maradona suggested that Messi had undeservedly been chosen for marketing purposes.[23]
Messi would captain Argentina to the finals of the2015 Copa América and the 2016Copa América Centenario, both they would lose to Chile on penalties.[24][25] His perceived uneven performances drew criticism from pundits, critics, and even Maradona himself.[26][27] Losing three consecutive finals in three consecutive years caused Messi to briefly retire from international football.[25] Maradona asked Messi to reverse his decision, stating "those saying he should quit don't want us to see what a disaster Argentine football has become. Messi must go on. Messi has to stay because he will reach the2018 World Cup in Russia in conditions to become world champion." A subsequent nationwide campaign would make Messi reverse his decision.[28][29]
In Argentina's final group match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup againstNigeria at theKrestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg on 26 June, Messi scored the opening goal in an eventual 2–1 victory, becoming the third Argentine after Diego Maradona andGabriel Batistuta to score in three different World Cups.[30] In the round of 16 match againstFrance on 30 June, Messi set upGabriel Mercado's andSergio Agüero's goals in a 4–3 defeat, which saw Argentina eliminated from the World Cup.[31] With his two assists in his team's second round fixture, Messi became the first player to provide two assists in a match for Argentina since Diego Maradona had managed the same feat againstSouth Korea in 1986.[32][33]
The2019 Copa América tournament would end with Argentina ending third. Following Argentina's 2–0 semi-final defeat to hosts Brazil on 2 July, Messi was critical of the refereeing,[34][35] and alleged the competition was "set up" for Brazil to win.[36] In the third-place match against Chile, Messi was sent off along withGary Medel in the 37th minute of play, after being involved in an altercation with the Chilean defender.[37] It would be only the second straight red card he received on the national team, after the one he received during his debut.[38] Following the match, Messi refused to collect his medal, and implied in a post-match interview that his comments following the semi-final led to his sending off.[39] These actions drew praise from Maradona himself, saying he liked seeing this "rebellious" side to Messi.[40]
On 25 November 2020, at the age of 60, Maradona sufferedcardiac arrest and died in his sleep at his home inDique Luján,Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.[41] Four days later on 29 November, Messi scored Barcelona's fourth goal in their 4–0 home victory overOsasuna. After scoring, he unveiled a shirt of his former sideNewell's Old Boys, in tribute to Maradona, and raised both hands to the screen showing Maradona's face in the stadium. The shirt was a number 10 replica of the same one Maradona had worn during his stint with the club in 1993.[42]
Messi would lead Argentina to a victory over hosts Brazil 1–0 in the2021 Copa Américafinal. This gave Messi his first major international title and Argentina's first since1993. The win also marked his nation's joint record 15thCopa América overall, in a tournament that Maradona had never won.[43][44] The2022 FIFA World Cup saw Messi finally matching Maradona's achievement of winning the tournament after Argentina defeated France in thefinal in a 4–2penalty shoot-out victory after a 3–3 draw inextra-time. Not only had Messi scored in the final, which Maradona had never done, but had done so twice in that match.[45] He would tie Maradona's records for World Cup appearances (21) and goals (8) during a 2–0 group stage match againstMexico, and would finish the tournament as Argentina's leader in both.[46][47] It also marked Messi's fifth World Cup tournament, surpassing Maradona's four.[48]
Messi has been compared to Maradona due to their similar playing style, skill set, and short stature.[5] Their lower centre of gravity allows them to be more agile and change direction more quickly, helping them to evade tackles, and their short legs allow them to excel in short bursts of acceleration, and to keep control of the ball when dribbling at speed.[49] Both players have played and worn thenumber 10 shirt forBarcelona and also for the Argentina national team, and like Maradona before him, Messi is also predominantly a left footed player.[50] Messi's passing, dribbling, vision, eye for goal andplaymaking ability have also drawn comparisons to Maradona. Although Messi is regarded as being a more offensive player for Barcelona, he has also played in a more similar position to Maradona, in particular for Argentina, where he is predominantly used as anattacking midfielder, as adeep-lying forward, or as awinger, rather than as a striker or as a false-9.[51][52][53]
Like Maradona, Messi is also an accurate set piece and penalty kick taker.[54] Maradona helped Messi enhance hisfree kick techniques, helping Messi become a regular free kick taker at both club and international levels, and one of the world's best free kick takers. With regard to his dribbling ability and ball control, Maradona said of Messi: "The ball stays glued to his foot; I've seen great players in my career, but I've never seen anyone with Messi's ball control."[55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63]
"Messi has always lived in the shadow of Diego Maradona, the leader of our last World Cup-winning team in 1986. He could never escape the similarities. They are both No. 10s, both the best players in the world, both left footed and both capable of magical, extraordinary moments. And yet they were very different in terms of personality ... people were always looking for a leader like Maradona and Messi wasn't that person."
– compatriotOsvaldo Ardiles reflecting on the expectations that Messi faced in comparison to Maradona.[64]
During the early and middle parts of his career, Messi was generally held in lesser esteem than Maradona in Argentine society. Part of this had to do with Messi's lack of tournament success and perceived uneven output with the national team during this period – Maradona had famously led Argentina to victory in the1986 FIFA World Cup with a dominant overall performance, which set expectations for Messi to do the same.[65][66][67] Also unlike Maradona, Messi never played in theArgentine Primera División, therefore depriving his countrymen a chance to watch him develop and prove himself, and through no fault of his own would do this overseas inLa Liga instead.[68][67] His lack of outward passion for theAlbiceleste shirt, early tendency not to sing the national anthem, and disinclination to emotional displays have in the past led to the false perception that he felt more Catalan rather than truly Argentine.[69][70] However, despite having lived in Barcelona since age 13, Messi rejected the option of representingSpain internationally, saying: "Argentina is my country, my family, my way of expressing myself. I would change all my records to make the people in my country happy."[71]
Another factor for the Argentine preference for Maradona over Messi was the differences between the two in personality, class and background. Maradona was an extroverted, fiery and controversial character who rose to greatness from the slums, all character traits that many Argentines identified as being representative of their national values.[72][66] In contrast, Messi could be seen as the antithesis of his predecessor: introverted, reserved and unassuming, with a comparably unremarkable upbringing in Rosario.[67][73] Several pundits and footballing figures would point to this temperament to question Messi's leadership capabilities for the national team, especially in contrast to Maradona's.[65][74] Maradona himself once echoed these sentiments, stating that he did not believe that Messi had the personality to be a leader.[75]
Football journalistTim Vickery stated that Messi's perception among Argentines changed from 2019–2021, with Messi making a conscious effort to become "more one of the group, more Argentine".[70] Several pundits noted that Messi had grown more assertive as a leader during the2019 Copa América by becoming more vocal with his teammates both on and off the pitch, and speaking with journalists at length after the match, the latter of which he never did for Barcelona.[76][77][78] Other pundits noted that Messi had grown more assertive as a leader during the2019 Copa América by becoming more vocal with his teammates both on and off the pitch, finally singing the national anthem with the team before matches, and speaking with journalists at length after matches, the latter of which he rarely did for Barcelona.[79] The red card he was shown after a shoving match during the third-place match, and subsequent outburst during the post-game conference where he criticized the organization of the tournament, were cited as examples of Messi's new mindset.[38] Longtime Argentina teammateÁngel Di María said that despite tournament loss continuing Argentina's long trophy drought, it revealed "a new Messi" that was leading the national team.[80]
Following the World Cup tournament victory for Messi and Argentina, Vickery felt that Messi would now be held in the same esteem as, and perhaps even higher than Maradona by his compatriots.[70] Valdano saw an edge to Messi's performances, which he described as a "Maradonian" streak.[81] CompatriotOsvaldo Ardiles highlighted Messi's provoking actions against theNetherlands during thequarter-final of the2022 World Cup, particularly when Messi goaded the Dutch bench after scoring a penalty, and snapped at one of the players during the post-game conference. He stated that these actions were very unlike Messi but "more of a Maradona reaction," which in turn caused the people of Argentina to love him more.[64] Messi himself remarked that the World Cup win "won over all the people of Argentina. Today 95% or 100% of Argentines love me and that's a beautiful feeling."[82]
List of players once thought to be the "New Maradona"
^ab"Maradona proclaims Messi as his successor".China Daily. Reuters. 25 February 2006.Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved28 December 2012."I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi," Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning captain was quoted as saying on Friday.
^Davies, Christopher (24 February 2006)."Maradona Hails His Successor".The Daily Telegraph. Archived fromthe original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved4 July 2025.(subscription required)
^"Goal hero Messi spares a thought for Maradona".ESPN. Reuters. 19 April 2007. Archived fromthe original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved28 December 2012.Barcelona-based daily Sport said 'Messi Superstar' on its front page while the Marca led with 'Messidona.'
^"Messi emulates Maradona with 'hand of god' goal".ESPN. Reuters. 9 June 2007. Archived fromthe original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved28 December 2012.Argentine prodigy Lionel Messi emulated Diego Maradona once again on Saturday when he scored a replica of the Argentine great's famous 'hand of god' goal with a desperate equaliser against city rivals Espanyol on Saturday.
^"Goal hero Messi spares a thought for Maradona".ESPN. Reuters. 19 April 2007. Archived fromthe original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved28 December 2012.Barcelona-based daily Sport said 'Messi Superstar' on its front page while the Marca led with 'Messidona.'
^"Sin Dudas, Messi Es Mejor que Maradona" [Without Doubt, Messi Is Better than Maradona].Clarín (in Spanish). 31 December 2012.Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved17 August 2015.
^Lowe, Sid (2 October 2006)."Aguero blows the chance to lay Atlético's derby jinx to rest".The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media.Archived from the original on 1 October 2024. Retrieved28 December 2012.Put yourself in Sergio Aguero's natty blue shoes. You're the latest New Maradona, the most expensive signing in Atlético Madrid's 103-year history, 25m worth of quick feet, vision and goals, of shirt-hanging-out-of-shorts, scurrying genius.
^"Real Zaragoza 3–0 Gimnastic de Tarragona".ESPN. 19 November 2006. Archived fromthe original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved28 December 2012.Argentinian Aimar, who moved to Zaragoza from Valencia over the summer, has struggled to live up to his billing as 'the new Maradona' – one of several players to have been handed that tag – since moving to Spain.
^Dotto, Matteo (7 February 2006)."D' Alessandro, la maledizione del mancato Maradona" [D'Alessandro, the curse of the unfulfilled New Maradona].archiviostorico.corriere.it (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera.Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved1 March 2015.
^"Bound for Chile".The Dominion Post. Wellington: Fairfax Media. 28 December 2012.Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved15 June 2014.Argentina under-20 striker Franco di Santo, dubbed the "new Maradona", was recently signed by Chelsea from Audax for $3 million.
^abHughes, Stan (9 March 2009)."Maradona".Footy Factor. Archived fromthe original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved28 December 2012.Ariel Ortega, Marcelo Gallardo, Juan Roman Riquelme, Carlos Tevez, Lionel Messi, the list goes on and on. All have been touted as the 'new Maradona' but none have lived up to the unique style and success that Diego Armando Maradona enjoyed during his 20-year playing career.
^"Judgment days for Riquelme".The Scotsman. Edinburgh: Johnston Publishing. 3 June 2006.Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved28 December 2012.DIEGO Latorre was the first of the new Maradonas, the squat man from Boca Juniors exciting the Argentinian nation in the late 1980s, in the way that his great hero had done a decade earlier.
^Bandini, Nicky (4 September 2007)."Livewire Lavezzi sparks Napoli into life, before the inevitable".The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media.Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved28 December 2012.Step aside Leo Messi, Carlos Tevez, and ... er ... Carlos Marinelli, there's a new New Maradona on the scene, and this one even plays for Napoli. Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi, a 5.5m summer signing from San Lorenzo, had already signalled his arrival with a match-winning hat-trick against Pisa in the Coppa Italia last month, but it takes a little more than bullying Serie B sides to make i partoponei forget el Pibe d'Oro.
^"Judgment days for Riquelme".The Scotsman. Edinburgh: Johnston Publishing. 3 June 2006.Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved15 June 2014.Javier Saviola, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi are the most recent, with the daddy of them all being 27-year-old Juan Roman Riquelme.
^Adderley, Nigel (11 July 2001)."The next Maradona".BBC Sport. London: British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved28 December 2012.His goal in his home city against Ghana ensures he'll continue to be saddled with the tag of being 'The New Maradona' for a bit longer.
^Vickery, Tim (6 December 2004)."Tevez – an Argentine in Brazil".BBC Sport. London: British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved28 December 2012.'The new Maradona' – Carlos Tevez – is joining Corinthians for nearly $20m in a strong candidate for the strangest move of the year.
^Pujol, Ayelen, Jorge (21 January 2018)."Carlovich: El mito viviente".Elgrafico.com (in Spanish). El Gráfico. Archived fromthe original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved9 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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