Lionel Messi Continues To Break Records Despite Senseless Critics

In today’s football landscape when opinions of fans and media fluctuate vastly from one day to the next, it is nearly impossible to figure out what the flavor of the moment is.

A little over a month ago, Lionel Messi was the toast of football after scoring eight goals (including two hat tricks) in a week. He then put four past Arsenal in the second leg of the Champions League Quarterfinals and was thrust by many into the pantheon of all-time greats like Pele and Diego Maradona.

Then came last Wednesday’s pivotal Champions League Semifinal second leg when Barcelona crashed out to Jose Mourinho’s ultra-defensive Inter. Suddenly, Messi was no longer the world’s golden boy, but a scapegoat for Barcelona’s exit.

The criticism began with the English media, which felt that the manner in which Mourinho and his men shut down the No. 10 proved that Messi would not be able to cut it in the Premiership.

Suddenly what had happened against Arsenal only took place because the English side was missing numerous key players (without realizing that Barcelona were missing the likes of Puyol, Pique, Iniesta, and Ibrahimoivc) and his performances in La Liga were rendered unimpressive because La Liga does not possess the physical prowess of the Premier League.

The Madrid media took aim at La Pulga, saying he was timid during the big occasion.

Truth be told, Messi was far from his best, but playing against arguably the best tactician in the world with a team like Inter, what player would have much success?

Despite being shackled by his compatriots Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti, and Walter Samuel and Brazilians Maicon and Lucio, Messi was centimeters away from opening Barca’s scoring during the first half but was denied by a truly world-class save by the game’s best keeper, Julio Cesar.

In the second half, Messi played a brilliant, chipped pass to Bojan who somehow headed wide with goal gaping. Had things worked out just a bit differently, he would have left the pitch as a hero yet again.

Some people seem to forget that even Maradona, Pele, and Di Stefano had bad games. Cruyff only managed to win one trophy during his time at Barcelona. We must sit back and realize that Messi, at 22, has already achieved so much. Like all footballers, he is human.

Even after the European odyssey comes to an end, Barcelona is still in the driver’s seat to win La Liga for the second straight season. Meanwhile, Messi continues to achieve remarkable numbers in terms of goalscoring, no matter how weak the English press thinks his competition is.

The kid can only go out and play who is put in front of him, and whether he is playing the worst team in MLS or Real Madrid, there is no denying that Messi is having a special season that only keeps getting better.

With two more goals today against Tenerife, Messi reached 31 goals on the season, stretching his lead over Gonzalo Higuain, his strike partner for Argentina, to six in the race for the Pichichi. The goalscoring title was last won by an Argentinian international in 1978 when Mario Kempes scored 28 times for Valencia and followed it up by winning the World Cup as the Golden Boot Winner—a double Messi will certainly dream of repeating.

Messi’s 31 strikes also draw him even with Alfredo Di Stefano and Juan Antonio Pizzi for most goals by an Argentine during a Spanish season.

With two games left to play, Messi can still draw level or even surpass the greatest goalscoring season ever by a Barcelona striker, achieved when Ronaldo hit 34 times in 37 games in 1996-1997 (Messi’s 31 goals have come in 33 games).

La Pulga is also the favorite to win Europe’s Golden Boot, with a five-goal advantage over Wayne Rooney who hit 26 in the Premier League.

In the Champions League, Lionel is currently leading the competition with eight goals, although Ivica Olic, who will dispute the Final in Madrid later this much, has seven. Should Inter choose to keep the Croatian off the score sheet, Messi will finish as the Champions League’s top scorer for the second straight season and pick up a personal treble of scoring trophies.

Numbers aside, Messi’s improvement this season has been enormous. After playing nearly exclusively as a right-sided attacker who favored cutting in on his left foot, Guardiola began playing Messi more centrally towards the end of last season—a tactic that worked wonders against Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The evolution of Messi’s ability to read a game has seen Guardiola play him right behind the strikers in the classic “No. 10” position, or even as the main striker at times.   

Although Messi still drifts wide at times during matches, he rarely starts or plays the majority of a game there.

While playing as a striker, or “No. 9,” Messi has seemed much more confident in front of goal, scoring his share of “poacher’s” efforts, such as his first today against Tenerife. His new-found calmness and touch in the area has led to the increase in goals from 38 last season to 44 thus far in all competitions.

Once considered purely left-footed, Messi has also netted seven goals with his right and three with his head this season, while only one has come via penalty. 

There is no question Messi will continue to score amazing goals, but he will also have a bad game here and there. As fans, we should enjoy what we are witnessing week in and week out rather than scrutinizing his every move.