It’s a concept that some may fail to comprehend; that there may be a player that could compete with Messi on the world stage, give him competition for the Ballon d’Or and most importantly for the players in question, provide stiff challenge in Brazil in 2014 and 2015.
To look at Messi statistically is the easiest way to understand exactly how vast his talent is and remember he is only 24. In 188 games for Barcelona he has scored 133 goals or 0.71 goals a game. He has started this season with 23 goals in 18 games playing in a role more reliant on scoring than ever. In his 287 games for Barcelona he has had involvement in 287 goals, either scoring or assisting.
At the age of 24 he has already played in 188 games in the top flight of Spanish football for the best team in the country. At the same age, The Premier League’s most capped player Ryan Giggs, had amassed 192 games in the league; however, it is worth noting that two full seasons under Giggs’ belt by then were in a 42 game league.
That is just statistically. If you were to look inside Messi’s trophy cabinet and count how many shiny honours were inside, including a Ballon d’Or, a World Player of the Year award and 5 La Liga titles, you’d have a figure over double the amount of goals scored internationally by the entire England team. Messi has an Honours roll call of 86 trophies, individual and as part of Argentina and Barcelona. Fabio Capello’s latest ensemble have bulged the net 41 times. Even if Rooney and Gerrard were in the team, taking the total to 78, Messi’s figure still leaves The Lions lounging in the shadows.
To rival such a mesmeric career, which may still have 10 years left at the height of European football, is a tall order. To propose that there is such a talent that will contend with magic Messi is often shied away from by managers. “I hope for Mario the day when he changes mentality comes soon.
That is the day he will be one of the three best players in the world along with Messi and Cristiano.” They were the words uttered by Roberto Mancini to The Sun this week. He couldn’t suggest Balotelli would better Messi, it is football blasphemy. After all, following Ronaldo’s comments, “God sent me to the earth to show people how to play football,” Messi replied with, “I didn’t send anyone.”
Ronaldo, fashionably now referred to as Cristiano, is somewhat overlooked from time to time now. Everyone has nailed Messi to the Ballon d’Or like Jesus to the cross. This week was no different. Pele perked up in the wake of a certain Brazilian’s announcement of sealing a contract that sees him remain in his home nation until after the 2014 World Cup amidst rumours that he was in advanced contract negotiations with Real Madrid.
The player in question is Neymar, he is 19 and O Rei insists “they talk about Maradona and Messi, but we have Neymar, who will be a great player with the skills he has.” There you have it; your challenger – a 19 year old who signed for a club that Pele describes as, “a factory which produces stars.”
Ouch, Pele sounds like a bitter old man. I was lucky enough to have seen Pele play and he was the best in the world and has been for a very long time….however it is time to step aside and that crown must now go to the enigma that is Messi. “Can not use head” Pele claims…i’m sorry but using your head is more than being able too header a ball its about the footballing brain contained within that head and Messi at the tender age of 24 has a footballing brain far exceeding his years. Messi in my opinion is the better player and i’m not running Pele down. If Messi was Brazilian i doubt Pele would have made those comments but i doubt he wants to admit Argentina have the worlds best player the world of football has seen so far!