Diego Maradona vs Michel Platini was the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry of the 1980s when Napoli vs Juventus was Europe’s big game
THE Lionel Messi- Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry will go down in history as one of the game’s greatest-ever.
In the past nine years, the pair have won five and four of the Ballon d’Or awards respectively on offer — and have re-written the records with their incredible goal scoring exploits.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been best players for a decadeEPA
But, 35 years ago, the world’s top two players were fighting for the title in Italy.
In 1984, Diego Maradona arrived at Napoli as the best player on the planet, but with plenty of baggage after he caused a riot in the Copa del Rey final in front of 100,000 fans in his last match for Barcelona.
Diego Maradona moved to Napoli on the back of a tumultuous time in SpainGetty Images
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Michel Platini was the first player to win the Ballon d’Or three years in a rowGetty ImagesMichel Platini with the European Cup he and Juventus won in 1985Getty Images
They were a million miles away from Serie A’s main side, Juventus, who, in Michel Platini, boasted the man who had won the Ballon d’Or a year earlier, would win it again that year — and become the first man in history to win it for a third time in a row.
Maradona is generally considered the better player, but their stats suggest Platini edged it.
The Frenchman spent five seasons in Turin and won the league twice as well as a European Cup, a Cup Winners’ Cup, the Uefa Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and a Coppa Italia.
Diego Maradona and Napoli won the Uefa Cup in 1989Getty ImagesDiego Maradona’s speciality was significantly improving weaker sidesGetty Images
While Maradona matched the Platini’s league and domestic cup tally, while he added a Uefa Cup and an Italian Super Cup — but in seven campaigns.
Though, it’s no surprise the former Uefa president won more trophies as he played for a far superior team.
Platini scored or created a goal 0.91 times per game to Maradona’s 0.68 — while he finished as league’s highest marksman on three occasions, with the Argentine only once.
Michel Platini was the best player at arguably the best club side in world footballGetty ImagesDiego Maradona brought Napoli from mid-table to European trophy-winnersGetty Images
During their four years as rivals in Italy, Juve won the title twice, with Napoli’s first-ever victory arriving in 1987, which was when the Frenchman retired.
And, with Maradona in their side they won their second three years later.
Platini was the best player at arguably the best team in the world.
But, like with Argentina, Maradona transformed Napoli from an mid-table club to Serie A champions.
Serie A is now far away from having the two best players on the planet.
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