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Juan Roman Riquelme: Barcelona's Lionel Messi is taking Diego Maradona's place as Argentine football's main man
The Boca Juniors playmaker is convinced that the Catalans' star player has the same hero status with the younger generation that the Napoli legend had with older fans.
Dec 19, 2011 6:35:00 AM
By Stefan Coerts
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Boca Juniors midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme has stated that Barcelona star Lionel Messi is slowly replacing Diego Maradona as Argentine football's main character.
The 33-year-old stressed that Maradona is considered to be the best player ever by Argentinians of older generations, but added that Messi has taken his place with the younger football fans.
"I was lucky enough to grow up during the era of Diego Maradona, who all Argentinians consider the greatest player ever," Riquelme was quoted as saying on the official FIFA website. "After watching him play I used to run out onto the street with my mates, get the ball and pretend that I was him. I’d be commentating on myself and saying 'Maradona has the ball', stuff like that.
"Now that’s what my son’s like with Lionel Messi. He starts kicking the ball and saying 'Messi’s on the ball'. For people my age, Maradona is the main man. But for younger generations, like my boy, Messi’s their hero."
Riquelme has won over 50 caps for Argentina and lifted the Apertura title with Boca Juniors earlier this month.
The 33-year-old stressed that Maradona is considered to be the best player ever by Argentinians of older generations, but added that Messi has taken his place with the younger football fans.
"I was lucky enough to grow up during the era of Diego Maradona, who all Argentinians consider the greatest player ever," Riquelme was quoted as saying on the official FIFA website. "After watching him play I used to run out onto the street with my mates, get the ball and pretend that I was him. I’d be commentating on myself and saying 'Maradona has the ball', stuff like that.
"Now that’s what my son’s like with Lionel Messi. He starts kicking the ball and saying 'Messi’s on the ball'. For people my age, Maradona is the main man. But for younger generations, like my boy, Messi’s their hero."
Riquelme has won over 50 caps for Argentina and lifted the Apertura title with Boca Juniors earlier this month.
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