Lionel Messi: Is He the Greatest Player of All Time?

On January 10 2011, the winner of the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or was announced. The winner? None other than Lionel Messi. Many felt that he did not deserve to win the award. They were of the opinion that the likes of Sneijder, Xavi or Iniesta were more deserving. Last season he managed 47 goals and 11 goals in 53 starts. Messi had a great 2009-2010 season and he was instrumental for Barcelona in all competitions. 

In many of the matches, Messi single-handedly destroyed opposition defenses and tore apart world class defenses. His demolition of Arsenal as he scored four goals in an emphatic 4-1 victory immediately comes to the mind.

Messi was simply unstoppable that day and he left football fans all over the world mesmerized with his skill and pure magic. That was not the only match in which he ran riot. In several other matches he played some great football an scored plenty of goals.

After Messi's demolition of Arsenal this is what opposition manager, Arsene Wenger had to say about the star: "Once he's on the run, Messi is unstoppable. He's the only player who can change direction at such a pace. He is the best player in the world by some distance. He's (like) a PlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make."

After seeing Messi play, it's hard to see how Wenger could be wrong. With the ball at his feet Messi is an artist and the football field his canvass. Wenger is not the only one to have praised Messi; countless others, including Maradona, have heaped praise on the forward.

Many of his critics have said that he did not deserve to win the award and there were more deserving players. Sure, the likes of Sneijder, Xavi and Iniesta all had great years and played some great football, but at the end of the day only one player truly deserved to win the award and that player was 23-year-old Lionel Messi.

On his day there is no team, no defense that is capable of stopping him. He is extremely consistent and has managed 85 goals in the last two seasons alone. This year he has picked up from were he left off last season and has already notched a mammoth 31 goals. 

When describing Lionel Messi, one runs out of superlatives to describe this young wizard, a man who is arguably the greatest player of all time.

Messi is poetry in motion. He is a played to admire, to adore. A player capable of changing the game in one act of brilliance. It's hard to believe that he is only 23. What he has achieved in this short span of time is what most players can hardly achieve in a lifetime.

In the history of the game, there have been very few players who have had the kind of impact Messi has on a game. Small team or world-class opposition, it hardly makes a difference to this wizard. Unlike many other great players, Messi thrives in big match situations. He is capable of rising to any challenge, capable of rising to levels that very few players can compete in.

There have been several great players who have grazed the game of football and left a lasting impact on the sport. Names like Pele, Maradona and a horde of other greats come in to the mind. These players have revolutionized the game of soccer and will forever remain some of the greatest players to play this fabulous sport.

This is in no way an article that looks to undermine the contributions and achievements of those men.

In my opinion, Messi has already immortalized himself as the greatest player to ever play the sport. Messi has all the qualities of a great player: he is fast, a fighting spirit, a brilliant finisher and can set up goals for teammates. He is a fantastic dribbler who can weave past any defense. Despite his small stature and build he can fight it out with any defense.

Many of his critics have stated that he would struggle in the Premier League among the likes of Stoke City. Sure, Messi does get overpowered at times and is definitely not a physical presence. But he makes up for this with pure skill. 

Messi may yet be the greatest player of all time but he still has a long way to go. He has failed to match his exploits with Barcelona at an international level for his county Argentina. It's not that he has been poor or bad for Argentina, but so high are the expectations that nothing better than the best will ever match his high standards. 

Many feel that unless Messi repeats his club-level performances at an international stage, he will always remain short of the title of "The World's Greatest Player."

But let's just remind ourselves of his contributions at club-level. Let's just remind ourselves that he is only 23. When one analyses this picture it is a frightening prospect. Just imagine what he could achieve at the end of his career. Messi has scored a massive 158 goals in 241 matches for Barcelona.

It may be hard to believe but what one is witnessing may be just a sign of things to come. There is no doubt that one can expect great things from this wizard who will continue to weave his magic for several more years.

Despite all his success, Messi still remains humble, still remains down to earth. All these are hallmarks of a true champions, a true warrior.

Those watching him play are truly lucky to witness this phenomenon. 

This article is a tribute to Lionel Messi, a great person, a fantastic player, a true champion.  

This article along with others is also featured on Sportsbuzz my own blog. Please do check it out.