Take a peek at the ways Lionel Messi stands out from his peers as the most incredible footballer in history. He’s already broken 10 FIFA World Cup records.
To Port Vale fans, Robbie Earle may be the club’s greatest-ever player but Lionel Messi, however, is truly in a league of his own.
Even when compared to extraordinary athletes and stars of The Beautiful Game, like Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Maradona, Pelé, and Ronaldo, Messi shines.
What goes into making a professional athlete the best of all time?
Being a Team Player
Gerard Pique, Messi’s Barcelona FC teammate, revealed that, when Messi was captain, his view on what to do in games usually agreed with his players’. He’s also stated that Messi knows which players to put where to bring tough defences down.
Being The Goal Machine
In La Liga, Messi holds the record for the most goals with 423 goals. With 50, he also holds the record for Most Goals in a Season. His eight-hat trick-record is the highest one ever in the UEFA Champions League, and the 13 goals he racked up in the Copa America is the most of any South American player.
Collecting Laurels
Messi has won the FIFA Ballon d’Or four times, the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award twice, and he’s been named the Top Scorer in multiple competitions 15 times. This is above and beyond his status as the receiver of the Ballon d’Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, Best FIFA World Player, FIFA World Cup Golden Ball awards.
Dribbling Well
Messi’s skill and status has seen him receive attention from famous players like Cambiasso, Godin, Lahm, Ramos, and Terry. Often, these defenders have been far bigger and sturdier than Messi, but the Argentinean has been able to beat them time and time again because of his dribbling skills.
Garnering Trophies at Club and League Level
Messi took home his first La Liga title in the early 2000s and added nine more after that. He’s received the UEFA Champions League cup, four times, and the UEFA Super Cup Glory three times. Messi won the Spanish Super Cup eight times, the Spanish Cup six times, and the FIFA World Cup.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that wagers on Messi during football season look a lot like bets on Djokovic’s Australian Open odds!
Having Natural Talent
Messi was also born with a lot of inherent aptitude for football. It was evidence of this that saw FC Barcelona willing to fund treatment for his growth hormone deficiency in 1998, when the player was just 11-years old.
Messi Remains the Messiah
Although he’s famously, and affectionately, been nicknamed La Pulga (the Flea) because of his small stature when he was younger, Messi is now more commonly referred to as The Messiah for his contribution to football.
His mastery at improvisation has made it possible for Messi to create opportunities for his team out of nothing. His creativity on the field is unequalled. These factors combined with the six outlined above have seen this player rank as truly the greatest footballer ever.
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