Juan Roman Riquelme: Lionel Messi might have even surpassed Maradona

Argentine football legend and Boca Juniors president Juan Roman Riquelme shared another stunning opinion about Lionel Messi. He stated that after his brilliant performance at the 2026 World Cup, Messi's place in history might have risen even higher than the level of the great Diego Maradona, according to TyC Sports. This was reported by Goal.com reported .

Riquelme highly praised the Argentine national team's path to the 2026 World Cup final. Although they lost to Spain in the decisive match, Lionel Messi's performance once again amazed the global football community. According to Riquelme, all Argentines should be grateful to be blessed with witnessing such a talent with their own eyes.

Historical comparison and a new era

"We were all lucky to see Messi. During Maradona's time, we thought no other player like him would emerge, but then Messi appeared. He now makes us wonder if he is even better than Maradona," Riquelme said in his interview. This recognition is of great significance for Argentine football, as Maradona had been the sole and untouchable idol in the country for many years.

The former player also specially praised national team head coach Lionel Scaloni and his staff. In his opinion, Scaloni has become one of the best coaches in the history of Argentine football. Riquelme recalled his long-standing friendship with coaching staff members Pablo Aimar, Walter Samuel, and Roberto Ayala, noting that they have grown up together since they were 14 years old.

Riquelme refused to compare different eras of Argentine football and emphasized that every winning generation must be respected. His list included the following specialists:

• Carlos Bilardo — 1986 World Cup champion;
• Cesar Luis Menotti — architect of the 1978 triumph;
• Lionel Scaloni — hero of the modern era;
• Alfio Basile — leader of successes in the Copa America.

The article notes that since Riquelme was born in 1978, he could not watch Mario Kempes's matches live, but he highly appreciates his contributions in that championship. According to him, the Argentine people should consider themselves lucky that two great geniuses like Maradona and Messi came from the same country.

Juan Roman Riquelme's remarks sparked major discussions on social media. Many experts emphasize that Messi's consistency and maintenance of a high level over the years provide a basis to rank him above Maradona. Regardless, it is an undeniable truth that Lionel Messi has completely changed the history of Argentine football.