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Spanish Inquisition: Is Lionel Messi El Diego II?
Goal.com's Subhankar Mondal charts the Argentine wonder-kid's performance so far in his professional football career and explores whether he is indeed the 'New Maradona'...
25-Sep-2009 8:20:20 PM
Several of the British papers might have almost willingly ignored it but Lionel Messi's two sensational goals on Tuesday evening was the highlight in midweek anywhere in Europe.
Okay, it was 'only' Racing Santander who are expected by many to struggle this season but how many have scored that kind of goals against Racing? Way back in April 2007 it was again 'only' Getafe, a side that didn't play in the Spanish first division until 2004, but how many have scored Maradona-esque goals against the Boltons and Sunderlands of this world?
Cristiano Ronaldo might be netting all the goals for Real Madrid, Kaka might be threading through balls every other minute, David Villa again dragging Valencia towards the top of the table with his goals and the Xavi-Andres Iniesta duo easily the best static-dynamic duo in world football, but it is Lionel Messi and Lionel Messi only who is the best player in the world.
Detractors might suggest that 'El Mesias' looks the best player only because he plays with with the best players, neatly forgetting that to play with the best you need to be the best (or thereabout). Last season Xavi, Iniesta and Ronaldo might have been brilliant but it was Messi who was exceptional. Anyone who has followed Barcelona thoroughly over the past three or four years would have noticed the metamorphosis of Messi's talent from a raw, shy almost unnoticeable 17-year-old kid who knew a trick or two to a leader who doesn't fear to take on the opposition on his own.
Back in Argentina they truly believe that Messi is the 'New Maradona'. There every single person who has ever kicked a football is baptised at a tender age as 'El Diego II' only to be proved horribly wrong. Yet they now genuinely believe that the material that Newell's Old Boys churned out back in the 1990's is the real deal.
But is he?
Heads I Score And I Am Shorter Than Everyone!
For one thing, Messi is better than all - and yes, that all includes Ariel Ortega and Pablo Aimar - his predecessors who had been attached a 'New Maradona' tag. A hat-trick against Real Madrid in the clasico in March 2007, the (almost) exact photocopy of Diego Maradona's 'that goal' against Getafe the next month and his towering header against Manchester United in the Champions League final last season only illustrate to the faith-less how exceptional this 5 feet 6-and a half-inch kid is.
Little Lionel performs week in week out and although Barcelona are not exactly Messi-dependent, without 'the Flea' the Blaugrana are not the same boringly entertaining machine they are. His consistency is an asset to Pep Guardiola and unlike some pretenders to the Ballon d'Or, he is not at all selfish, his 16 assists perfectly complimenting his 38 goals in all club competitions last term.
There is no denying that Messi is the most talented footballer playing professionally at the moment. He might not be a 'complete' player as perhaps Cristiano Ronaldo is or Ronaldinho was, but when it comes to sheer unalloyed talent, it is Messi who outreaches everyone in the footballing globe. His left foot appears to have been carved out of Mardona's flesh itself and his intelligence and ball control are ridiculously breathtaking.
But to become the 'New Maradona' or to replace the old one, one needs something special, something extra. Messi is the sureshot bet to become 'El Diego II' but he is not there, at least not yet.
Maradona carried teams on his own, epitomised what is often loosely termed as a 'one-man army'. Not many in his position could have carried Argentina to a World Cup triumph in 1986 and certainly not won a modest and almost nondescriptive Napoli two Scudetti. Those were the moments that depict Maradona as he is.
Maradona's success lied in inspiring people and winning matches on his own, thrusting himself headlong into beating the opposition - any opposition - and Messi does likewise. But the 'disadvantage' of Messi is that he is playing for one of the most overpowering, dominating and perhaps complete teams in football history and for everyone who acknowledges his greatness, there will be one who will question his 'contribution' and 'singularity'.
Can You Spot Any Differences Between The Two?
Then there's also the below par performance for the Argentine national side. For all of Messi's showmanship for Barcelona, he has never really translated that outlandish form to the Albicelestes. Maybe if he was summoned against Germany in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final, then things could have subsequently shaped differently. Perhaps if Maradona were half as good a coach as he was a footballer, Argentina and Messi would be performing much better but the fact remains that the 22-year-old has loads to do in the international arena to match Maradona's feat.
But paradoxically, Argentina's current misery would be Messi's chance. The former world champions are in a situation wherein they might miss out on the 2010 World Cup finals and this is the time when Lionel could finally bury his critics. If he can deliver two Maradona-esque solo performances in the remaining two CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, then no one can possibly refuse to accept Messi as the world's finest. And the true 'New Maradona'.
Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com
Okay, it was 'only' Racing Santander who are expected by many to struggle this season but how many have scored that kind of goals against Racing? Way back in April 2007 it was again 'only' Getafe, a side that didn't play in the Spanish first division until 2004, but how many have scored Maradona-esque goals against the Boltons and Sunderlands of this world?
Cristiano Ronaldo might be netting all the goals for Real Madrid, Kaka might be threading through balls every other minute, David Villa again dragging Valencia towards the top of the table with his goals and the Xavi-Andres Iniesta duo easily the best static-dynamic duo in world football, but it is Lionel Messi and Lionel Messi only who is the best player in the world.
Detractors might suggest that 'El Mesias' looks the best player only because he plays with with the best players, neatly forgetting that to play with the best you need to be the best (or thereabout). Last season Xavi, Iniesta and Ronaldo might have been brilliant but it was Messi who was exceptional. Anyone who has followed Barcelona thoroughly over the past three or four years would have noticed the metamorphosis of Messi's talent from a raw, shy almost unnoticeable 17-year-old kid who knew a trick or two to a leader who doesn't fear to take on the opposition on his own.
Back in Argentina they truly believe that Messi is the 'New Maradona'. There every single person who has ever kicked a football is baptised at a tender age as 'El Diego II' only to be proved horribly wrong. Yet they now genuinely believe that the material that Newell's Old Boys churned out back in the 1990's is the real deal.
But is he?
Heads I Score And I Am Shorter Than Everyone!
For one thing, Messi is better than all - and yes, that all includes Ariel Ortega and Pablo Aimar - his predecessors who had been attached a 'New Maradona' tag. A hat-trick against Real Madrid in the clasico in March 2007, the (almost) exact photocopy of Diego Maradona's 'that goal' against Getafe the next month and his towering header against Manchester United in the Champions League final last season only illustrate to the faith-less how exceptional this 5 feet 6-and a half-inch kid is.
Little Lionel performs week in week out and although Barcelona are not exactly Messi-dependent, without 'the Flea' the Blaugrana are not the same boringly entertaining machine they are. His consistency is an asset to Pep Guardiola and unlike some pretenders to the Ballon d'Or, he is not at all selfish, his 16 assists perfectly complimenting his 38 goals in all club competitions last term.
There is no denying that Messi is the most talented footballer playing professionally at the moment. He might not be a 'complete' player as perhaps Cristiano Ronaldo is or Ronaldinho was, but when it comes to sheer unalloyed talent, it is Messi who outreaches everyone in the footballing globe. His left foot appears to have been carved out of Mardona's flesh itself and his intelligence and ball control are ridiculously breathtaking.
But to become the 'New Maradona' or to replace the old one, one needs something special, something extra. Messi is the sureshot bet to become 'El Diego II' but he is not there, at least not yet.
Maradona carried teams on his own, epitomised what is often loosely termed as a 'one-man army'. Not many in his position could have carried Argentina to a World Cup triumph in 1986 and certainly not won a modest and almost nondescriptive Napoli two Scudetti. Those were the moments that depict Maradona as he is.
Maradona's success lied in inspiring people and winning matches on his own, thrusting himself headlong into beating the opposition - any opposition - and Messi does likewise. But the 'disadvantage' of Messi is that he is playing for one of the most overpowering, dominating and perhaps complete teams in football history and for everyone who acknowledges his greatness, there will be one who will question his 'contribution' and 'singularity'.
Can You Spot Any Differences Between The Two?
Then there's also the below par performance for the Argentine national side. For all of Messi's showmanship for Barcelona, he has never really translated that outlandish form to the Albicelestes. Maybe if he was summoned against Germany in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final, then things could have subsequently shaped differently. Perhaps if Maradona were half as good a coach as he was a footballer, Argentina and Messi would be performing much better but the fact remains that the 22-year-old has loads to do in the international arena to match Maradona's feat.
But paradoxically, Argentina's current misery would be Messi's chance. The former world champions are in a situation wherein they might miss out on the 2010 World Cup finals and this is the time when Lionel could finally bury his critics. If he can deliver two Maradona-esque solo performances in the remaining two CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, then no one can possibly refuse to accept Messi as the world's finest. And the true 'New Maradona'.
Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com
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