FC Barcelona: Why Lionel Messi Is the Coolest Player in Football Right Now

Lionel Messi is the best footballer in the world today. He's also the coolest.

And it's not even close. Not really.

Think about it: How often does football have a player like this, a guy who's universally lauded as an all-time great while he's still playing?And how often is that player only 24?

It's rare, and lucky for us, this time the all-time great in question isn't crazy. This time, he's quiet, humble (as humble as a superstar can be anyway) and, above all, likable.

In a vacuum, he's the antithesis of cool. In reality, that makes him cool. Really, really cool.

If you don't think so, you're a Real Madrid supporter.

Consider the differences between Messi and other players.

Other players talk and talk and talk. Not Messi.

They stick their feet in their mouths when they should be kicking a ball. Their private lives are anything but private. Not so with Messi.

Others conduct transfer negotiations in the press. Not Messi.

Other players care when a hat trick is on the line. Messi doesn't, and he doesn't have to.

Instead, on Saturday, he set up Pedro for Barca's fourth goal. While that meant passing up a personal hat trick, it also made everyone around him look good—from the struggling Pedro to the surging Barcelona to the sublimely talented Messi himself.

That's what happens when you've scored 60 goals in a single season (with a whole month and change left to go). Messi can afford to do what's best for his team and teammates instead of focusing solely on personal achievements.

It's a running theme with Messi and with Barcelona. The team comes first, and once it does, personal accolades follow.

Here's another: Confidence is cool. Nonchalance is cooler. Greatness is coolest.

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