Former Republic of Ireland captain David Meyler and Irish Independent journalist Daniel McDonnell discussed Diego Maradona as a modern footballer on Off The Ball’s Football Saturday.

In the wake of the passing of the legendary Argentinian number 10, tributes and memories have been pouring in for one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Despite his legendary status, the fact that Maradona was relatively short, stocky, and had his struggles off the pitch raised the question from one listener whether he would have made it in the modern game.

Meyler and McDonnell barely entertained the question, stating that he was a phenomenal footballer, and any club would have been fighting to have him.

“We are talking about one of the greatest footballers of all time,” Meyler said.

“I understand the whole thing of him being five foot five, but that fella was born to play football.”

The obvious comparison in terms of size and skill is that of fellow Argentinian, Lionel Messi, who is similarly built to the late Maradona.

“What is Messi, five [foot] six, seven? No, Maradona would have been completely fine,” Meyler said.

“He probably would have been even better because now with the stricter ruling on tackling, people wouldn’t be able to kick him as much.”

Football League XI's Paul McGrath (r) marks Rest of the World XI's Diego Maradona (l)

For McDonnell, the question is not whether or not Maradona would have made it, but how his life off the pitch would have been different in the modern era.

“It is a hugely hypothetical debate,” McDonnell said. “There is no doubt he would have made it ability-wise.

“He might have found it harder with his lifestyle in the modern age, to get away with some stuff.

“That time in Napoli, he was a god and he was moving in some questionable circles, and a lot of things he was doing people were able to cover up. It was easier to do it then.

“Ability-wise, no doubt, but maybe some of the off the pitch stuff, I wonder whether it would have been harder to maintain.”

Maradona grew up in a difficult time and had a challenging upbringing with very little guidance from an early age.

Argentina's Diego Maradona celebrates with Manager Carlos Bilardo after winning the World Cup final match against West Germany

McDonnell believes that, if he had grown up into the modern football arena, he likely would not have lived the same life off of the pitch.

“A lot of that was of its time,” McDonnell said. “If he had grown up in the game today, he probably would have been steered on a different path.

“There is no room for some of the wilder characters now; to some degree they find it harder.

“But I don’t know, maybe there would have been more games, there would have been more discipline, it would have been easier for him to stay on the straight and narrow.”

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