Lionel Messi, unarguably one of the greatest footballers of all time, turns 36 years old today (June 24, 2023). The Argentine superstar has mesmerised fans all over the globe ever since making his debut for Barcelona at the age of 16. While Messi never fails to send chills down the spine of opponents on the football field, off the field, there aren't many who can challenge him either.
Before I even start, I won’t talk about Individual awards & team trophies. I always hated this method to say who’s a better footballer. Truth is, Cruyff and Di Stefano were the best at there time without any international trophy, and Messi was robbed of 6 Ballon d’Ors.
I’d also want to say it shouldn’t be a question: Messi is the greatest footballer to ever grace the pitch. But since I’m here, I’ll still justify why he is.
1. Goalscoring
At the moment I’m writing this, Messi has scored 617 official goals. In other ways, he’s the second greatest goalscorer still playing alongside C. Ronaldo, who’s more than two years older.
Messi is the player with the most European Golden Shoe in the history, with 5 awards. C. Ronaldo comes 2nd, with 4. He is in this way the best goalscorer in 5 La Liga seasons (2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2016/17, 2017/18). He also is the all-time top scorer of La Liga, with 383 goals (0.914 goal per game ratio to 1.7 for CR, which is understandable because CR came to La Liga in his peak, while Messi started to play in as a teenager).
He also has 5 Champions League best goalscorer (2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2014/15) awards, only C. Ronaldo has more. He has also 100 CL goals, behind CR who has 120. Still, his goal per game ratio is better (0.8 to 0.78).
He is the all-time top scorer for his national team with 65 goals in 128 caps. He comes 2nd to the all-time South American top-scorer for his NT behind Pelé.
Messi is also the only player to score 40+ club goals in 9 consecutive seasons! He is the only player to score in 6 different club competitions in a calendar year twice (2011 and 2015). 21 La Liga games in a row his name has been on the scoresheet (33 goals, 2012). First footballer ever to score consecutively against all teams in a professional league, and only footballer to score 60+ goals in all competitions in 2 consecutive seasons (2011/12, 2012/13).
He is able to score with his left (best left-footed goalscorer ever), with his right foot, with his head, or even with his chest or his hand! He’s able to score either inside the box or outside (most goals outside the box in the 2017/18 season).
Not only he scores more than other players, but he scores more with even less shots! For example: in the 2009/10 season, Messi scored 44 goals and took 163 shots, to Ronaldo’s 33 goals and 211 shots. In the 2010/11 season, Messi scored 49 goals and took 150 shots, to Ronaldo’s 50 goals and 250 shots!
For penalties, it’s clear that he isn’t the best. It’s probably where he lacks the most. His freekick ability is amazing. He’s currently the best freekick taker in the world, and deserves without a doubt a place in the Top 5 (talking about all time).
He’s able to score without any angle (Chelsea 2018, 2nd game, 1st goal of the match), a chip goal (Neuer 2015), a curve goal, a powerful goal, or by dribbling the entire team (Getafe 2007, Bilbao 2015).
Is it clear? Messi is the best goalscorer ever, many come close, but his records speak for themselves. The consistency, and the variety of the goals are outrageous.
2. Assists & Playmaking
At the moment, Messi has 253 assists recorded for club and country (excluding friendlies), which is the most ever recorded. The most ever recorded and he’s a forward! He is top assister for the following competitions: La Liga (2010/11, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18), UEFA Champions League (2011/12, 2014/15), Copa del Rey (2015/16, 2016/17), Copa América ( 2011, 2015, 2016).
Only player to score and assist in 6 different club competitions in a calendar year: 2011.
For example, Messi bagged 27 assists in the 2015/16 season, 26 assists in the all 2015 year. And now, he had 31 assists in 2016, and 59 goals. Can you just imagine that? He was everywhere on the field.
The amount of chances that are wasting by his teammates is countless (MessiZoneV3 made a little thread on Twitter where you could see he did not disappear in the Champions League quarter-finals).
He has been voted the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker three years in a row: 2015, 2016 and 2017. For example: he created 9 goalscoring opportunities against Real Madrid in December 2017. It’s phenomenal, 9 in a single game.
Messi has the most clear-cut chances in the 2017/18 season with a number of 30. He created 87 changes in La Liga for the 2017/18 season, the most.
He’s the best playmaker in the world at the moment, that’s unbelievable.
3. Dribbling
It’s known, Messi’s dribbling ability is amazing. The ball is glued to his feet, it’s like magic. Surely his best trait.
Messi has completed the most La Liga dribbles for the previous 10 seasons: 1481. Iniesta comes 2nd with 575, almost 900 dribbles of difference. Unfuckinbelievable.
In comparison, people used to say that Ronaldo couldn’t dribble anymore because he was 30. Messi at 31 completed 185 dribbles in the league.
For examples: Messi completed 12 dribbles VS Real Betis in the 2017/18 La Liga season: the most in a single La Liga match in the last three seasons. He completed 13 dribbles against Columbia, in the Copa America 2015, the most in a single match of CA, while having only 72 touches on the pitch. Last example, he completed 26 dribbles VS Villareal in one game at 19 years old. He also is the all time best dribbler at the World Cup.
Should I continue? Messi’s dribbling ability is amazing. Not only he beats one or two players, everyone can do that. But he can beat 4 or even 5 in thight space!
“Imagine the keeper's mentality. He sees Messi receive the ball somewhere near the half-line. He doesn't give it a lot of thought. He beats the defensive midfielder, nothing to be afraid of. He is running with the ball. He is onto the centre-backs, and he's gone past them too. Now suddenly before the keeper knows it, he's one on one with Messi. The keeper tries to stop him but fails, as he chips the the ball delicately, tantalisingly out of his reach.”, this paragraph describes Messi’s solo goals.
“A normal player would knock the ball away 4 or 5 feet, while running, while in Messi's case, it stays stuck to his feet. The ball control he has, is unparalleled, and unprecedented. He is extremely agile which allows him to change directions and get into tight spaces. He is quick and decisive. Hisacceleration is explosive. He doesn't use any fancy flicks or tricks, most of his dribbling involves simple left or right cuts( simple yet deft), body feints that draw the player in, turning in and out, and sometimes just running past the player without engaging him at all.”, little analysis by .
MessiThunbo, a Youtube channel, did many analysis on Messi’s dribbling. Everyone should see it, and you’ll understand more the genius of this man. You could also read this if you have time:
https://youtu.be/jFyr0oVJSXE
“He leaves one, he leaves two for dead! Takes on three, takes on four, takes the goalkeeper! You’re just lost for words, he is just brilliant! George Best, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff... They're all getting outshone by this incredible little man!
The greatest trick Messi ever pulled, was to convince defenders that he could be stopped.
4. Iconic perfomances
One of Messi’s best perfomance ever is in the El Clasico, when Barcelona won 5–0, and Leo didn’t even scored. Just like the one against Manchester City in 2014/15 Champions League, he didn’t score but had an amazing perfomance.
He also had one of the best (if not the best) quarter-final perfomance ever in the Champions League against Arsenal. He scored 4 goals in such a great game, isn’t it wonderful? Following this, we have maybe the best Champions League semi-final perfomance ever against Bayern, in 2015. One chip and one long range goal against the best goalkeeper in the world, and one of the best defense.
And now, the best perfomance ever in a Cup final. Manchester United 2011, Messi was unstoppable in this match. Just watch it again if you have doubts. He was nabbed as the GOAT after this.
They are plenty of others. Real Madrid 2007, where a 19 years old Messi managed to score a hat-trick. Juventus 2015 & 2017, he was that good. All against big teams, the list is too long. I could continue, but it’s enough.
5. Omnipresence
As we already talked too much about this, it won’t be long. This statistics are from the 2017/18 La Liga campaign, which is the best ever made by any player, individually speaking. He single-handedly lead Barcelona to a domestic double. Undefeated season for him.
6. Adaptation
This is not a main factor, but I saw someone the other day who said Messi is a system player.
Messi under Pep: False 9, ST
Messi under Lucho: RW, CAM
Messi under Valverde: False 9, CAM
He also adapted to Argentina players and many styles of play consistently, they were changing everytime. Under Sabella, Maradona, Sampaoli and plenty of others. He went from Xaviniesta to Paulinho-Rakitic, and adapted himself to this situation. He’s making the others look good. Yeah, that’s how good he is.
7. Iconic goals & Magic
Last argument. There is no obligation to put this argument, but I still did it. I always loved magical players: Ronaldinho, Iniesta, Cruyff, Garrincha… But the most magical of all of them is Messi. I’ve never enjoyed a player more than Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccitini.
Messi scored the most beautiful goal ever against Getafe, in 2007. He started from the halfway line and then dribbled the entire opposite team. Who else could have done that?
He also has the best goal in a Cup final against Athletic Bilbao, in 2015. He again started from the halfway line, dribbled five players and scored. He was even pointing at Dani Alves with his finger, who poorly assisted him.
He again, has scored the most beautiful goal in the Champions League’s history, against Real Madrid during the 2010/11 season. “Away from two, three four, wonderful, wonderful. How good is he? A near supernatural goal from Lionel Messi.”
There are many of Messi’s solo runs that are amazing. His dribbling ability when he was a teenager was amazing. He destroyed Evra, Roberto Carlos, Cannavaros, Casillas, Ramos, C. Ronaldo, Scholes, Robben, Terry… And even later, he dribbled Nesta, Pepe, Puyol & Piqué at training… How can you not love this guy?
“Messi. Oh.. brilliant skill from, Lionel Messi! Searching forth with real menace here.. brilliant from Messi! Ooooh, what a goal that is! From the all of this ground stands, and applause the nineteen years old… Have you seen a better goal than that anywhere this season, I very much doubt it.”
That is all. My job here is done. If I convinced you, I’m proud. If I did not, well… Everyone has their opinion.
Long answer but bear with me. We all know the nearest competitor to being the G.O.A.T is Ronaldo so let's have a look at comparing the probable best (Messi) and the 2nd best (Ronaldo).
Lionel Messi
When you hear the word ‘Messidependencia’ rooted with a club boasting of names like Suarez, Griezmann, Dembele, Coutinho- you know this guy is damn special.
When you actually see Messi play, it is like relishing your favourite pizza or watching an Apple advertisment, it is so beautiful and you are out of words to describe him.
Such beautiful his football is that Zinedine Zidane, chose Messi over CR7 in
Nice write up
ReplyDeleteGoat
ReplyDelete👍❤️
ReplyDelete👽
ReplyDelete