Lionel Messi Is The Best In The World

As the World Cup approaches in June, it's appropriate that we turn our eyes to Europe for a second and perhaps the best individual performance this year in the world of sports. Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored 4 goals yesterday in single-handedly beating Arsenal to move on to the UEFA Champions League Semis. Messi's performance was so brilliant that he has undoubtedly taken his place as the best player in the world. Of course, I couldn't find a video with English commentary, so Swedish will have to do. But, as Andy Gray would say, let the pictures tell the story...

Simply amazing. Not only was it 4 goals in a Champions League knockout game (the first time ever done), but each goal showed a different facet of Messi's skill. The first goal showing pure power from the top of the box. The second a deft touch and finish with his weaker foot after being in the right place at the right time. The third goal was an incredible finesse chip over the Arsenal GK. Finally, he showed his great dribbling ability and precision in scoring off of his own rebound for his fourth.

Messi has now scored 119 career goals for Barca including 39 in 42 games in all competitions this season. Almost scoring a goal a game is incredible. To put that in perspective, Wayne Rooney, who is by all accounts having a career year, has 34 goals in 40 appearances this season. Messi blows him out of the water. 2 years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo had an unbelievable season and scored 42 goals in 49 appearances - and it looks like Messi will pass that mark easily.

Where will Messi stop this year? Barcelona has 8 La Liga games remaining and a probable 3 CL games. In those 11 games, it is reasonable to believe that Messi could score 50 goals in one season! In the modern era, that sort of total is unheard of in top class soccer. Finding these sort of records on the internet is kinda hard, and if anyone out there knows the numbers, please comment. But, the last 50 goal season in Europe that I could find was in 1949!

It's not only the numbers with Messi though. It's the eye test. Messi scores goals that 99.999% of the world only dream about scoring. He scores goals that only the likes of Pele and Maradona could duplicate. Take this effort against Getafe in 2007..

The only person I could compare Messi to at this point of his career is Wayne Gretzky. At 22, Wayne Gretzy was coming off of a record 92 goal season and was in the middle of a stretch in which he scored 250 goals in 3 seasons. Messi probably won't reach those sort of totals, but he currently leads La Liga and the CL in scoring this season. Gretzky is the best hockey player of all-time, and Messi's magic has the potential to take him to the greatest of all-time territory. The skill level of both players far surpasses anyone on the ice or the pitch with them.

But, one thing is holding Lionel back from entering the greatest of all time discussion. He must carry this performance to the World Cup in June. Pele and Maradona performed to their highest standards at the World Cup. 4 years ago as a teen, Messi scored 1 goal in 3 games. He's only scored 15 goals in 36 career appearances for his country. Now, at 22 and in the prime of his career, Messi has to prove himself as the best player in the world by doing it on the biggest stage in sports.

With the great and insane Diego Maradona coaching Messi and Argentina this year anything can happen. Watching how Messi performs at the 2010 World Cup might be the most anticipated sporting event on the calendar this year. His 4 goals against Arsenal yesterday only builds the suspense for June. I for one can't wait.