Lionel Messi: Football God
The Michael Jordan of Football
They call him la pulga, or "the flea" in Spanish. A strange nickname denoting his short stature, but he is nothing like a flea. Lionel Messi is simply the best. Many people argue that Messi is overrated and overhyped. But to such people, I merely ask, have you even seen him play?
He won the FIFA Ballons d'Or as the world's greatest player three times in a row, a feat not even the mighty Pele was able to accomplish. But it's not just the amount of times he scores, it's how he scores; he makes football look like poetry in motion, making it look like an art form rather than a sport. Messi has helped FC Barcelona win five La Liga titles, 3 Champions League titles, and won the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with the Argentina Olympic Team. Not to mention, Messi just recently earned the title as FC Barcelona's leading goalscorer of all time.
You may argue why then Argentina hasn't won a World Cup with Messi on the team. It baffles me too, but we must remember that football is a team sport. While Messi is great, he cannot be the Atlas and play for the whole team, he needs good players to support him. Hence, this is the difference between the Argentinian football team and FC Barcelona. In Barcelona, Messi is coupled with players that are talented and skilled as well and provide the best support for him.
People claim that Messi emulates Diego Maradona, another great Argentinian footballer, and that he is Maradona's "successor". But many people agree that Messi plays a clean game with his own uniqueness and style that is incomparable to others. It's difficult to compare footballers of different generations, but as for Messi, it is safe to say that he is one of the best. Maybe it's because I'm an azulgrana, who knows. But if you have any doubts, just watch him play, you'll understand, believe me.
