'It's not a competition' | Michael Laudrup on why we shouldn't compare Maradona, Messi, Ronaldo & co

[@spencerglover1]

Laudrup is up there with Diego , Van Basten, & Romario as the best of there generation .....

[@alexanders4911]

U mean Brian, right

[@beachboy13600]

🤣

[@VelhaGuardaTricolor]

@@beachboy13600 Exactly! Dude couldn't be more delusional if he tried. To compare greats like Laudrup, Van Basten, Romário, etc.. with GODS like Maradona or Pelé is like comparing David Ferrer with Rafa Nadal.

[@RobertD-u3q]

Personally I'd have Romario right up there with the very best​@@VelhaGuardaTricolor

[@VelhaGuardaTricolor]

@@RobertD-u3q Well Romário was not your average good player by any metric. But as great as he was, he was only great in front of goal. He couldn't create for other player, couldn't create his own opportunities. A penalty box virtuoso by all means. Arguably the best at that range. The team had to play for him in order for his football to shine. While Maradona, Pelé, Zidane, DiStefano, Guarrincha, Zizinho, and a few other legends would carry the team on their back uphill. He might be your favorite player of all time and there is nothing wrong with that. A truly fantastic player and personal preference is personal preference.

[@ash6415]

Anyone who played against Diego says he was just special.

[@Liquidcadmus]

Maradona is the most talented player in the history of world football. It's hard to explain with words why he could do what no one could do before or since him. He had a special relationship with the ball. Who knows how much more he would have achieved if he had grown in a healthy environment like Messi and had the right people by his side.

[@kendyjapri1559]

Agree, but you know messi play golf right?

[@lfk53]

100%

[@Daveymallon]

Diego would’ve always found the devil in his playground. He was just that larger than life type of person. He’s from nothing, had an extraordinary gift but had those hedonistic tendencies. Messi is a humble introverted type who is not hedonistic at all. He loves the game, he loves his family and that is it and just happened to be given the gift of genius too.

[@davidwong7283]

I feel sad people dun get it that Diego suffered greatly from the defenders . The butcher of bilbao destroyed his ankle . From 1990 Diego only flashes of godliness ...

[@KetanPatel-v7l]

@@kendyjapri1559 your comment is disrespectful and pathetic. I love messi too but hes played in 7 international finals and scored only 1 penalty and one goal in extra time meaning he aint scored in 90 mins in all 7 finals. It also took him over 16 years to score in a international final and over 16 years to score past the group stage of a world cup.

[@johnwood5387]

One of my favorite players of all time!

[@jameslaird9924]

The Laudrup brothers were exceptional

[@Nicolas-RoRo911]

Awesome Brothers.... the Best bros in Football history

[@dodziagbazo1759]

Michael was exceptional, Brian was average

[@DennisTheDane]

@@dodziagbazo1759 maybe not as good as his brother, but deffo not average. He carried the danish team for years.

[@johnpacino007]

And that... Is how all GOAT debates should be put to bed. Beautifully & wisely summed up by Laudrup. Just enjoy all the great players that played the game. From Di Stéfano, Pelé, Best, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Maradona, Laudrup, Ronaldo 9, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo 7, Messi. It's not a competition, as Laudrup said.

[@patinho5589]

And Romario.

[@thetruth4654]

You can still enjoy all of them, while at the same time being able to admit that Messi is simply the greatest players of all time, that doesn`t take anything away from the likes of CR7, Pele, Maradonna, Cruyff etc. All are great and some of the greatest of all time, but there is simply one goat and that is Messi

[@pambıhseksi]

@@thetruth4654 Gattuso is the greatest of all time

[@lilianekanyangejoensen8668]

@@thetruth4654 you didn’t understand one word of what Laudrup just said.. Completely clueless! You for some odd reason asume you have knowledge about Messi that other people don’t have.. Like other people don’t have a remote they can turn on the TV and watch Messi play every weekend. All debating have seen Messi play, many probably more than you.. Of those who also have seen former players play like Laudrup and Maradona, many don’t agree with you.. Think about for a while..

[@midfielder8131]

This is great comment. These debates should be over. DeStefano, Pele, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Maradona. Ronaldo Messi… all were great players called the best at their time. That’s good enough. Let’s thank all of them and leave it right there.

[@ernestomartinez4090]

Maradona was the best of them all. I'm not talking about titles. I'm not talking about scoring. I'm talking about FOOTBALL. A different class. Diego Maradona.

[@hugodrax71]

Laudrup was one hell of a player. I still remember how in awe I was watching him play in the Denmark-Uruguay game at the '86 World Cup. Brilliant talent and Cruyff got the best out of him at Barca.

[@Tarek_ElMaddah]

Laudrup was criminally underrated… he was crazy skilled and knew the game

[@TheFurymaker]

he was also a great coach when he was in Swansea, shame he went to shit afterwards, that Swansea side played such beautiful football

[@user-pt1ow8hx5l]

Best PLAYER on the Swansea training ground, too. We were told!!..@@TheFurymaker

[@USCFlash]

Laudrup is not criminally underrated. Anyone who knows the game knows how good he is. Plenty of top players idolize him

[@johntgw]

Underappreciated, not underrated.

[@USCFlash]

@@johntgw BINGO. Well said. People these days do not seem to know the difference.

[@DarthwRath]

Don Andrés Iniesta's idol. He went to Vissel Kobe mainly because of Laudrup. Aside from never wanting to play against his heart's team of course.

[@telmolicious]

All the Spanish mids of that gen had him as their idol. Ironically he is the Godfather of the Spanish mids even though he isn’t Spanish .

[@moz7777]

Ive spent the last 2 years trying to show and explain to my son how good players like Maradona, Platini, Socrates, Laudrup, Gullit , Butragueno, Zico and Van Basten were..

[@enigma-wv7oc]

All those legends you mentioned, would have won the golden Ball in the post Messi/Ronaldo era.

[@MrIrishscouse]

You could include Tardelli, Rossi, Boniek, Rummenigge, Matthaus, Scifo and Ceulemans. All those guys you mentioned were geniuses.

[@alexanders4911]

Baggio?

[@hugodrax71]

@@alexanders4911 Yes, Roberto Baggio. My favourite player of the 1990s.

[@RobertD-u3q]

​@@MrIrishscouseno Romario tho?

[@lucapatella9128]

I saw with my own eyes, Michael Laudrup in his serie A debut...19 years old, playing with the team that i support (S.S. Lazio)...he was an amazing talent!

[@MikeRochac]

What most people miss here is that Maradona wasn’t a football player, he was an artist.

[@Danleesixoneonetwofive]

Handsome gentleman. And one of the greatest midfielders ever.

[@itellyouwhy6957]

What a footballer. His brother Brian was a magician as well.

[@brianlaudrupchannel]

His brother is very underated. Played well in every shirt (maybe apart from Copenhagen) but left clubs too early for various reasons.

[@Bill-Butcher]

@@brianlaudrupchannel 🤣🤣🤣

[@brianlaudrupchannel]

@@Bill-Butcher huh

[@billy6243]

@@brianlaudrupchannel yeah, exactly Brian had 1 out of 20 in mental strengh. If he just had 10 he would be among the best 15 players ever.

[@hugodrax71]

I'm a Fiorentina fan and loved Brian Laudrup. A great shame our club became a shambles in '92-93 because I'm sure his spell with us would have turned out differently.

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

I'll always remember a big sign on the Camp Nou in the 90s which had the following text on it: "Enjoy Laudrup" And we all did FOR SURE, and none of us that watched him and his Barcelona temmates and other teams from that era, or any era, won't stop enjoying all of them... to see people fighting because they have an opinion about a player, that by the way, it's IMPOSIBLE to prove, instead of enjoying the players they like it's appalling and sad and makes football poorer... hooliganism at its worst

[@tanoshehu7169]

GRANDE LAUDRUP..è stato un vero signore in campo e fuori.Super carriera Lazio.Juventus Barcellona Real Madrid Ajax.Chapeau.💙🦅⬆️⬆️🥰😘

[@thetruth6099]

He just said it even he didn’t want to- Diego was a true king of the game. As Russell Brand said in his eulogy on this platform - “We lost a true great…..celebrate the gifts of others because we will all end the same way”. RIP Diego

[@Mauricio-u6y]

As argentine ....man Laudrup was a really an amazing player......one on top of that generation ...

[@conorsmith8551]

Michael laudrup ❤ proud to say that somewhere along my lineage I have Danish heritage , my great great grandad is a dolmer, , a common Danish surname

[@amdimilker5773]

It's not very common actually! But it is indeed a Danish surname.

[@peterbach1126]

Kåldolmere are fucking delicious tho

[@asado606]

Di Stefano, Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo “Fenómeno”, Ronaldinho and Messi. Well done Argentina and Brazil

[@davidrobinson2776]

The thing is, a great player from any era would be a great player in any era. The one caveat is the further back you go and see the pitches, the equipment, the coaching and diet, you have to think how brilliant would Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney or Hughie Gallacher have been in the modern game? For me, Maradona is the greatest player I've ever seen. He seemed to attract the ball like a magnet and when he shot on goal, there was no backlift. He could generate power from nothing. If you're in any doubt, just look at a compilation of his goals. Bare in mind, most of them were scored on pitches barely fit for purpose.

[@badilamu]

i saw both him and maradona from when they were 17 at that time we were blessed by two many christianos ronaldos but only one diego platini and zico and hagi

[@Ilfenomeno-sp2hk]

Maradona would win the Balon D Or in this era playing in sandals

[@Danleesixoneonetwofive]

What a classy response, and I completely agree. We should talk about best players from 10 year periods or something like that,

[@Yong_Goh]

Man… that Denmark team at Mexico 86… what a great team!

[@saibot7218]

No other player moved as smooth and elegant with the ball as M Laudrup.

[@spreadthelove77]

Perfectly put.

[@EstebanMataVargas]

Bergkamp is the only one I would put at Laudrup´s level.

[@normanabrahams]

Because of Platini, Boniek and a young, youthful,classy Laudrup, I fell in love with Juve.And even with his brother Brian against hosts France in s/f WC.wow what a game. For Denmark against eventual winners France. Salute nd thanks👍

[@pertamakedua3771]

Classic no. 10 Maradona (the king) Platini Baggio Zico Laudrup Hagi ..... Riquelme (the last classic 10)

[@MaximilianXXX]

Messi, Aguero and Thierry Henry all wax lyrical about Riquelme.

[@davidsykes1980]

Chris Sutton

[@riccardoangeli802]

Rivellino il migliore

[@realistavelicanstveni9698]

Pelé was above the king 👑!

[@uzaku7372]

Hagi 😂 He’s nothing more than a regional star. Zidane should be there

[@antonpirulero1944]

(i must say it, too) Michael, thank you!!

[@calcalb]

M Laudrup was being was picked by best team in the world Juventus to pair w Platini when he was 20.. if he played in this era I think he can surely compete w messi & cr7 … & after hearing what he said about Maradona … we all know who’s the greatest ..

[@asnark7115]

Probably right. Laudrup was what Iniesta would be if Iniesta had pace.

[@mericusta1988]

I agree 100%. Everybody is always talking about number 1. Who cares? Why spend so much time on finding the best, while you can enjoy them all, their different qualities, and goals, and assists, and passion.

[@canecorsomolosser3294]

Respect for his achievements in and outside the stadium. Absolutely a very humble player, but what a sensation on the field. Dmn I miss 80 90's football 😭⚽⚽⚽ now to much money and crying players on the ground pfffff

[@Razormiller]

Laudrup was one of my favorite players ever. As good as any of the players he mentioned.

[@Shaggy-839two]

The laudrup brothers were very skilled. Have we seen any other brothers as skillful?

[@DamaniDanDadar]

Yes. Diego Milito and his brother. Thiago Alcantra and his brother. Boateng brothers.

[@johnmiceter]

I rememeber seeing a video about Maradona where a interviewer was asking him questions and Maradona said, tell you what you want me to do with the ball and i can do it. No player ever says this unless he knows he can do this. Then i saw another one where Zidane was talking about Maradona and he said he was the best player hes ever seen and he could do things no other player could. He talked about this time he watched him training or doing a exercise where he would hit the crossbar consistently every single time and not miss and when he or other players did it, they might hit it 2 or 3 times out of 10 attempts.

[@gusmangaymambol]

Hi from argentina, there is a video of diego training in boca hiting the post at will here in you tube but not the croosbar one, i've seen diego live doing this things too, he was a real alien. Never seen anything like him again.

[@johnmiceter]

@@gusmangaymambol he used to be my fav player as a little kid growing up, I really looked up to him and when I heard he was taking drugs and addicted to them it made me feel bad. No wonder his career dropped off and his level, it was such a shame.

[@ernestomartinez4090]

Always remember Denmark from the 1986 Mexico WC. Michael Laudrup and the great Preben Elkjær Larsen. What a team.

[@Jackie-ji2sj]

DON'T NEED TO COMPARE MARADONA TO ANYBODY, AS NOBODY COMES REMOTELY CLOSE TO DIEGO MARADONA ❤

[@Gefionius]

Uh no. Amazing yes, but not clearly better than the other greats.

[@Jean-PaulSemaan]

@@Gefioniuswayyyyy better. Diego is the best footballer of all time, hands down.

[@Gefionius]

@@Jean-PaulSemaan nope.

[@piscesman54]

Maradona's prime was 6 years at best. Compare that to Pele's 12 or Messi's 16. But that aside, I think you entirely missed the point Laudrup made here.

[@ericm4426]

​@@Gefioniusbest footballer to walk the earth

[@teddijrgensen173]

The difference between Maradona and all other players is simple: he was indispensable. Napoli would never have seen a glimpse of the Italian championship without Maradona. Napoli before Maradona: 0 championships, after Maradona: 33 years. Argentina, 1986, wouldn't have made it out of the group stages without Maradona. Pelé was surrounded by brilliant players. Messi, too, is surrounded by brilliant players. Ronaldo? Now you're not even being serious. Zinedine Zidane was indispensable in 1998, but still had a much higher standard of players around him. There isn't a single one of these players who took a mediocre team and made them champions, except Maradona. Når ja selv tak gamle dreng, 😉

[@asnark7115]

To me, Laudrup was also indespensible. Like Zidane, Messi and Maradona, the match ended up looking like he wanted it to look and shape out whenever he decided. When he touched it on one part of the pitch, he was making things happen in distant areas. Whenever he got hot, the other team always just sagged and backed up, because they knew he'd beat them with either dribbling OR passing at any range. And the records of ALL his teams before and after Laudrup speak for that. "There isn't a single one of these players who took a mediocre team and made them champions, except Maradona." Laudrup did in the '92 European Cup with Denmark.

[@luislizard2626]

These were the number 10 and they all played ( or most of them ) in Italy ❤️

[@thetruth6099]

Playing 7 minutes with his shoes unlaced at a major final?! We miss you Diego, miss you very much because players like you come ones in a century.

[@alexmartin-schael7556]

I think it is perfectly fine to choose your favorite player, as long as you do it respectfully. The excercise of doing such chosing is also very entertaining. The problem of choosing favorites is with people not seeing these contests as fun games and instead make it them personal, preferring to attack and insult those having a different opinion.

[@AMEHOELA]

Michael Laudrup is a Hero. 🙏🏼

[@CSLucasEpic]

Michael Laudrup is SO underrated as a player. He was the best player of the best generation Denmark ever produced (the 1986 team was amazing, and I still can't believe they lost to Spain in that game...) it was an amazing team to watch play, like a beautiful song being played by some of the best musicians in the world. And then he became a coach and was good at that too. Not many players manage to do the transition from being a player to be a coach. So when Laudrup says something, you better damn listen to it.

[@williammccarthy4441]

Laudrup and his Brother were pure class but Diego and Messi are different animals than the rest of simple as that, Genius for our entertainment!

[@mehmedbeklenen5059]

He looks still young 😮😮😮

[@ziadkhalaf198]

I appreciate hearing this perspective. I grew up idolizing Maradona, following his journey since '82. Because of Diego, I became a Barcelona fan. To me, he was the best of his era. Years later, another Argentine, also wearing No. 10 for Barcelona, emerged: Messi. Naturally, I followed his career, and he became the greatest of his time. I watched Ronaldo at his peak in Madrid's Bernabéu , and a few years later, I saw Messi score a hat trick right before my eyes. In my view, there are only three true Gods (GOATs) in football: Pelé, Maradona, and Messi. The rest are remarkable players but human. Messi's edge might be his longevity. Now, I’m following Lamine Jamal from day one - who knows what he might achieve? But as Maradona's story shows, injuries and personal struggles can shape or even diminish a legacy.

[@agaham]

Michael Laudrup made correct comments about players other than Maradona. Of course, the players are not competing, but the opinions of the football players and 90% of the strict football followers were the same 10 years ago, 20 years ago and 30 years ago; Maradona is the greatest talent and the classiest player ever.

[@kimhansen9557]

Michael Laudrup er en af de bedste, men Danmark et lille land, tja så kan man ikke være den bedste, for fodbold er også politik.

[@keysersoze5920]

Thank you, Michael!

[@lukmigindnuforhelved]

Thank you Michael

[@maxmorlock697]

One of The best ever

[@seifeddinebenazouz]

the danish Tom Cruise

[@thisguyrighthere3]

lol why do you have to insult Laudrup like that

[@tanoshehu7169]

Più Sean Bean.che Tom Cruise.

[@janchristiansen8838]

You probably don't know Dev1ce from CS GO. But he is the Danish Tom Cruise👍😉

[@cariocabassa]

This guy was really special... I like that speech as well...

[@shawhalabrams9549]

Michael and Brian were amazing footballers. I would love to see a documentary about them growing up in Denmark. I mean, they have the talent of Brazilians/Portuguese/Spanish but come from a small soccer nation. Amazing Footballers.

[@ogierthedane6025]

Exactly, and especially the Messi vs Ronaldo debate the last 10 years, just enjoy them both, they are different, play differently and entertain differently.

[@mrporsche4236]

He knows there is no one like maradona

[@kristofferholst6053]

Tak Michael ❤

[@alejandro1133]

Thank you Michael, for showing respect for Diego. Your were one of the best players of his time!

[@wheretheheckisthetruth]

I remember watching Brazil-Denmark in 1998 WC. I rooted for Brazil but I enjoyed Denmark just as much. Brothers Laudrups were great players - thank you!

[@danyoutube7491]

The quote in the title of this video earns a thumbs up from me, I very much agree with it.

[@Daveymallon]

I love that about who is the Goat. We can all say what we think and who we feel is but in reality, if we were playing football on a sunday and you were told, you were getting either Maradona, Messi or Pele to play for you, you wouldn’t really care which one. They are the elite of the elite of the elite in the games history and that should be enough. I’m grateful i had Maradona and Messi. I was very young for Maradona but i was old enough to realise he was the man at the time and to have seen Messi’s career, what an honour.

[@philsarkol6443]

We have to give respect to all the great players that gave so much to the game of football in each era. So he is right; we stop comparing who is best. We have had the luck of wittnessing Messi and Christiano in the same era...as he stated. What more magic could we have asked for...as all the el classico with them together have been played in the last 15 years!!!!

[@RDX1981]

Great interview .love the details 100% agree with him

[@kastrupsen3950]

Når mister snakker, så holder man kæft og lytter til hvad legenden siger! Han har altid ret....

[@cdbaylac1]

This reflection goes well beyond futbol. This is about life and the wisdom to be able to cherish life.❤

[@ConstantineJoseph]

I think to see greatness you must observe the training. Messi in training was absolutely unbelievable according to Henry. Just a wizard dribbler with natural talent. However if you look at sheer skill and ball control and wizardry at the ultimate level, it’s Maradona. How he controls the ball, moves the ball, juggles and elevates the ball at his will is like God in control of a spherical object. He’s a once in a lifetime talent. Lineker mentioned he saw his warm up and he was thumping the ball 30 feet high at near vertical level and he continues to thump that ball back at that height when it lands with a single bounce and he did that for many times in a row without stepping away of more than 3 paces from the initial spot. Now that Messi and CR7 will never be able to do because that is a talent from a footballer that loves his craft more than anyone else in the world. When Balon D’or winner Michael Owen heard of this he was in awe, shaking his head. That is Maradona’s level. He’s supernaturally gifted

[@petersmith4202]

I think its Maradona

[@imperatormouse2735]

Imagine Diego with proper laces and shoes...

[@carlossimancas9867]

Junto a Zidane e Iniesta, Laudrup sigue siendo el futbolista más querido en España en los últimos cuarenta años. Su caballerosidad y lo que estos tipos dieron al fútbol merece nuestra gratitud eterna como aficionados

[@gabrielbravo4706]

Messi, Maradona, Di Stefano..🇦🇷

[@ppate8]

claro

[@gusmangaymambol]

Y el chino garce

[@Yorgos2007]

Michael, you were on the very same level.

[@hughtube5154]

Finally! Someone acknowledges Di Stefano

[@marcomongolia]

He's a University teacher. Very intelligent player. 🎉

[@damo1329]

It is not a competition, but Di Stefano, Maradona and Messi are Argentinians, 3 of the 5 who could compete for the title of best in history, depending on the eras. It is likely that the next person to sit at that table will come from the same place in the world.

[@dfxdfx5368]

Tony Hadley has always been my favorite football player.

[@jameslittler4151]

He's right. How can you choose one between the likes of Messi, Puskas, Maradona, Garrincha, Ronaldo (x2), Cruyff, Best, Pele, Henderson, and Di Stefano,. All geniuses.

[@markward8858]

Henderson ?

[@riccardoangeli802]

RIVELLINO

[@JordiSalvadoBuque-gs1he]

Laudrup is a great football player. I will always remember his first class playing for Barça, ✅️✅️✅️

[@mrfunk6218]

L eleganza di questo giocatore inarrivabile

[@CortinasforestalesChaco]

This Man is a GentleMan and was a Masterclass player.

[@uzaku7372]

M. Laudrup, Underrated greatness…

[@AnteD-u6l]

He is right, it is not a competition, no metric exists that can prove who is the best so it comes down to personal choice and everyone is entitled to have their favourites. However, the players that most captured my imagination and that I enjoyed watching most were Maradona and Ronaldo9.

[@abzinho10karim25]

True from a legend!!!

[@A21Joker]

finally, some words of wisom from Laudrup. it's NOT a competition.

[@Christian_Bagger]

Laudrup is far too humble… like we watch sport to see the most skilled above all else. Sport is an avenue for competition. It’s a fun exercise to come up with arguments of whose on the top of the mountain. Yea, for sure, football changes and therefore as you move on, they’re different type of players that resonate with their time, but at the same time… these are timeless players that can play at in period of football and still be part of the top dogs.

[@MarCeloso-z7f]

Laudrup looks like a mix of jason bateman(ozark) and Aaron Eckhart (Harvey from Batman)😮

[@stevehughes240]

Thank you.

[@robertodibaggio8181]

Michael was at the same level as Maradona in 1986, esp in the opening rounds when Denmark looked serious contenders.. Denmark winning would have put Laudrup in that category of legendary.

[@matiasjorgeroffe8751]

"Michael was at the same level as Maradona in 1986" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@charleslyall4911]

What a player Micheal was superb 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿❤️👍

[@joseantoniolinares6062]

Gran jugador, gran persona Michael Laudrup!

[@jamesbaxter5001]

Michael Laudrup was a truly great player, and I don't say that to often

[@starmersbarber]

A great conversation. Michael wasn't such a bad player himself!!!!

[@williammccarthy4441]

Diego and Messi are gifts from the Gods of Sports

[@germanverdier6825]

Grear player and a gentleman. Here form argentina

[@mrjjblack]

I laughed so hard at this!

[@redshift8302]

1.43 That's the look of someone who had the privilege of seeing something that few mortals will be able to come across in their whole lifetime.

[@markhand4530]

i havent seen other players do freakish things that maradona with a football and he did with such a mastery as if he was 100% in control

[@felenti4956]

mean and hard as iron that is what made him the greatest ever full stop Maradona. Played in an era where defenders went out to injure you and you got little protection from refs. Defenders hacked and stamped on his feet to slow him down. He played in a decent, but not, best club teams. He was instrumental in winning the world Cup with Agentina. If he played today, he would be killing it.

[@rastaman2722]

Michael Laudrup was exceptional. Falsely underrated by fans but ask opponents and managers, they know....

[@gustavbrinkel5489]

Genius, one of the best ever