South Africa 2010: Lionel Messi: The People's Game Waits For Its King

The waiting is nearly over as Africans everywhere want to show the world that they too can organise the greatest show on earth. The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa build up has started.

The 19^th version will have the usual hype surrounding it but for the players it is their chance to parade their skills in front of not only football fans around the globe but also a huge gathering of scouts with a transfer to the comparatively money rich European game always an aim.

Although every world cup produces its stars the main question since the retirement of Diego Maradona is who will be next to join the A-List of he and Pele at the summit of Association Football as the People’s Game waits for its new King of Football.

We’ve seen the B-List. Magnificent footballers such as Puskas, Garrincha, Charlton, Cruyff, Platini and Zidane, to name but a few, have all paraded their sublime talents but for one Argentine in particular the 2010 South Africa World Cup has an near rabid air of expectancy; Lionel Messi.

Born Rosario, Argentina in 1987 Messi started his professional football career with Newell’s Old Boys, aged just 8, and despite attracting the interests of River Plate, along with Boca Juniors the giant of the Argentine club game, his diagnosis with growth hormone deficiency, saw them back off. However he had come to the attention of Carles Rexach at Barcelona and with money no object a young Messi was taken to Catalonia to begin not only the medical treatment required but to train with some of the most promising youth footballers in Europe.

His rise was rapid and aged just 17 he made his first team debut for the Spanish giants against Espanyol in 2004. The following year he was part of the victorious Argentine Under 20 side that won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and took home with him The Golden Ball as the tournaments most influential player and the Golden Shoe as its top scorer. It therefore came as no surprise when he made his international debut for his country against Hungary that same year, although the occasion was soured when, sick of being constantly fouled, he was sent off for head butting Vilmos Vanczak.

Despite this he returned to Barcelona and helped them to win La Liga and the Champions League in 2006, although he missed the final through injury. By 2007 the awards started to arrive including Argentine Football Of The Year, and European Under 21 Footballer Of The Year. However 2008 and 2009 was his coming of age as the Olympic football title, La Liga, Spanish Cup, UEFA Champions league and FIFA Club World Cup honours came his way, all within 12 months.

His career has gone from strength to strength and it came as no surprise when he was being touted as the next Maradona. What’s to stop him emulating his fellow countryman? In essence the opposition and ironically perhaps Diego Maradona himself.

With youth on his side, he will be 23 during the 2010 South Africa tournament, he will undoubtedly become stronger both mentally and physically as he gets older and more experienced but it’s the fear of what his opponents might do to stop him that is a talking point as the opening game draws ever nearer.  Will negative tactics, constant fouling and a Latin temperament as a consequence let him down as it did on his international debut or will he rise above it all?

As for his performances in an Argentine shirt, there is an opinion that he has never really produced for his country as he has for his club, which could be down to the man management skills of his mentor Argentina national team manager Diego Maradona or the side’s tactics. The chopping and changing of the side obviously doesn’t help as the use of over 70 players and the consequent near disaster of non qualification showed.

There are of course other candidates for best current footballer but none, as yet, have shown the capacity to take their place on the A-List like Lionel Messi. For England Wayne Rooney may come of age World Cup finals wise and help England to what seems like an over optimistic assault on the FIFA World Cup and for Africa all eyes will be on the new European Golden shoe winner, Chelsea’s Didier Drogba.

However as Planet Earth waits for the South African events to unfold the question is this: is the latest football genius, Lionel Messi, about to explode onto the South African scene and claim his place amongst the sports tiny A-List and be crowned the new King Of Football? The answer is who knows, but it would be crass to take your eyes off Rosario’s favourite son as he unleashes his talents on an expectant football world.

Viva Lionel Messi.