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There has been a lot of debate, as happens with every generation of players, on whether Lionel Messi can be ranked with the greats such as Maradona and Pele.
The little genius has had yet another monumental season in the Barcelona colours and continues to mesmerize fans across the globe with an amazing vision of the game coupled with brilliant skills, dedication and desire.
He has brought unprecedented success to the Catalans and has effectively delivered in all competitions at the highest level against the most difficult opponents.
The world continues to sing praises of his brilliance and as a player, he is now in a league of his own. However, there are two sets of arguments, at least at this point in his career, that keep him from being hailed as one of the finest ever to have graced the sport.
Firstly, his performances for national team Argentina, and secondly, whether he can pitch in with similar results for a sustained period without the presence of Barcelona teammates Xavi and Iniesta, masters at orchestrating the game.
Barcelona is a very well-lubricated unit that has evolved as a team over the years, and have added a whole new dimension to the beautiful game with their immaculate approach.
Purists have run out of superlatives to describe the Barcelona style of football. Apart from Xavi and Iniesta in midfield, Pedro and Villa complement each other along with Messi in attack.
Therefore, with so much quality around him, he has the licence to play with a lot more freedom and space as he knows others in the team pull the strings in midfield.
Results clearly indicate that he enjoys his football at Barcelona whereas with Argentina, it is a totally different story.
The Argentina side play a different brand of football and do not possess the quality of Barcelona. Here, Messi’s role is altered; neither does he have a Xavi or an Iniesta to depend on for service, nor does he enjoy the freedom to break through the opposition with his trademark incisive runs.
Messi is a shining diamond in the world of football but to grade him amongst the best might be a tad premature.
In sport, success is gauged by the number of titles won. In Messi’s case, what is missing is a major triumph in national colours – that would settle the score.
But again, we are in the middle of a different era, and it might not be fair to compare Messi with Maradona or Pele.
Had it been possible to reverse time, it would have been interesting to see if the two masters would be able to survive the game today that has become so physical and competitive.
Let us not forget the brilliance of the original Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Zidane, legends in their own right, having won everything a footballer can dream of. These guys have amazed the world with their skills, vision and performances.
So, what does Leo Messi have to do? Well, he has age on his side, and if he can continue to back that up with his supreme talent and dedication without losing focus, he can go a step further and win major trophies in national colours.
It is just a matter of time – he has just had a fine outing against Costa Rica in the Copa America, and that augurs well for millions of his fans all over the world. Including yours truly.
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