Two splendid goals by Lionel Messi against Nigeria (which Argentina beat 3-2) prompts this question among many soccer fans: Who is the better player, Messi now or Diego Maradona then? To answer that question it might be useful to seek help from a Greek oracle, since both are, or were, in Maradona's case, exquisite players.
Maradona came from the humblest of homes to become the most talked about soccer player of his generation. His two goals against the British team in the World Cup in Mexico City are now legendary. The first, the famous (or, more properly infamous since it was scored with the help of his hand) became the now iconic "Hand of God" goal.
For Maradona, it was revenge after Argentina's defeat by the British in the Falklands War. Talking later about that goal he declared, "Not even the photographers managed to capture what really happened. And Shilton [the British goalkeeper] jumping with his eyes shut, was outraged! I like this goal. I felt I was pick-pocketing the English."