Watching a god Play Football or otherwise known as The Lionel Messi Show

Lionel Messi’s four-goal performance in Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal win against Arsenal was simply stunning. For those of you who may have been living under a rock, here is the highlight video of the Lionel Messi show in all its glory.

I would also wager a guess that even if you’ve seen the highlights, you’ll be compelled to watch it again. Why? Because it’s purely addictive watching the world’s greatest footballer of the moment trot around the field with a soccer ball seemingly glued to his foot. Lionel Messi makes the game look easy, uncomplicated and ridiculously simple. Not that it is. It’s not. But somehow Messi, with his low center of gravity and amazing gifts of ball control, balance and acceleration, makes it look effortless.

Another good reason for watching the clip is there’s a very good chance you may be showing your children or your grandchildren this same clip 20 years from now while you sit them on your knee and tell them that you witnessed one of the greatest players of his time. Many are calling the Argentinean the best player in the world today. I doubt many can argue that. The 2009 FIFA Player of the Year has his peers as well as opposing coaches heaping praises on the goal-scoring forward. But is it going too far to claim that Messi is one of the greatest players to ever grace the pitch?

In a recent conversation with Tony Sanneh, the former Champions League player whose Hertha Berlin side played against Barcelona in the 2000 Champions League, feels it far too premature to call Messi one of the greatest of all time. So what would it take for Sanneh to put him in the category of a Maradona or a Pelé? Sanneh says Messi needs to have an outstanding World Cup this summer. Good showings on the international stage along with stellar club play has often been a sign of player who can stand the test of time. The good news for Messi is he is only 22. Meaning, he most likely will have two more World Cups in him after this year’s competition in South Africa. In comparison, Maradona was 26 when he stole the hearts of footballers around the world in the 1986 World Cup.

Barcelona was last year’s European Champion and with a very in-form Messi the team has to be favorites to repeat again this year. Just how good can Messi be? That’s anyone’s guess, but if Barcelona repeat in 2010 and Messi can prove himself on the world stage this summer he will surely be on his way to being fairly compared to the greats of all time.

XX