The football world watched yesterday with utter amazement and joy as Messi’s Barcelona scored 7 goals against an unfortunate Bayer Leverkusen in a UEFA Champions League match at the Camp Nou. For the first time in history, we saw one person score 5 goals in a Champions League match and it turned out that it was none other than Lionel Messi.
Yes, the number of goals may be a new record that I think he can improve in the next few years, but it is more the way and the class with which he scored the goals that made many football enthusiasts admire this rare talent that has emerged. . in this generation.
Of course, we all knew his ability by now but his performance yesterday has put him in another league. The way he made the difficult act of scoring spectacular goals look so easy was simply a joy to watch. One was a left foot lob, another a delicious right foot lob, then careful control of a sharp angel, a laser-guided left foot placement, and then a drive through several opposing players. His unique sense of picking the right moments in games to do what he does best is simply extraordinary.
He has often been compared to the legendary Pele and his compatriot Diego Maradona as to who is the greatest player of all time, but I would venture to say that even these legends will secretly admit that it is only a matter of time before he is. boy from the back. from Rosario, Argentina supersedes your achievements if you have not already done so. Considering the fact that Messi is only 24 years old and has at least 10 years of top-notch football, the prospect of what he could achieve can be incredible.
It’s almost inconceivable that the world would never have seen what happened yesterday had it not been for the Barcelona scouts who stepped in to save his career when they left him. River Plate, one of the most important clubs in the Argentine First Division that wanted to sign him from the Newell Old Boys Club in Rosario, soon discovered that his inability to play the 90 minutes was due to the absence of a growth hormone that hindered his normal. physical development as a person. He looked so small for his age at the time that, they weren’t sure if he could physically develop to meet the demands of the modern game, although his talent was never in dispute. The money required to put him on a special diet program was too much that they could not afford. They gave up on him but, luckily, they saw him and took him to the La Masia training academy in Barcelona and the rest, they say, is history.
Speaking of humble beginnings, his first contract was signed with a white scarf because his dad was so frustrated with the Barcelona managers at the time due to his indecision about the future of his son that, he handed over to Charles Rexach, the then football director . a short window of opportunity to make a decision. Either they give him an answer right there or they forget Messi forever once they fly back to Argentina. His exploits today have shown that it doesn’t matter where you start in life, but rather, it’s about believing in your unique abilities and gifts that God has given you, regardless of your size, age, race, or gender.
As great as the current Barcelona is at the moment, I have the firm conviction that if you took Messi out of this team, they would not have achieved as much as they have. He brings a certain quality to the team that places them far above any other team right now. When matches are close, he is the only one who can devise a special instinctive game capable of knocking down opposing teams creating opportunities to score goals.
The flip side of the above argument is that even the best players will find it very difficult to perform at their best when surrounded by mediocre players or the team they are on is not playing to their strengths. This may be the reason why he has not yet reached the same dizzying heights with the Argentina National Team as he has done over and over again with his Club team.
With everything he’s accomplished so far, hearing him speak only makes you believe why he can accomplish so much more. He seems to radiate this important virtue of humility, which is vital not only to help you get to the top of your game, but more importantly to stay there. There is no air of “stardom” about him. His lifestyle is simple, both on and off the court. I have yet to hear any news about Messi involved in “off the pitch” incidents that you so often associate with English Premiership players. He seems to enjoy playing in big stadiums as much as he did when he played on the streets of Rosario.
So is he the best player of all time? Legendary Pele seems to think he’s the best by far in the world right now. Most soccer coaches, fellow professionals, and the wider soccer community seem to think of him as the greatest of all time, even though he has yet to lead Argentina to World Cup glory. I wouldn’t argue with it either. I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet. It is simply sublime.