Lionel Messi - the Scapegoat?

In today’s world of football, the best players in the world are always criticized for one reason or the other, by the fans, could be due to hatred or even lack of respect. One of the most affected players among these is surely the Argentine sensation Lionel Messi, one of the best footballers in the world at the moment.

Messi without a doubt is an amazing player. Messi has been regarded as the “best in the world” by many personalities including Wayne Rooney, Xavi, Iniesta and Maradona. For his club Barcelona, there are very few off days for him, in most matches, he plays a huge role in their victory. Lionel Messi scored a total of 52 goals last season, 49 in 2009-10 season for Barca. He is an unstoppable player in club level. But as soon as he gets into the field wearing an Albiceleste jersey, he can’t score! Why?

Okay now, let’s get to the topic, after every disappointing performance for Argentina, people point out Messi for not performing well.Let’s have a look at the reasons for which he is criticized:

1] Xavi – Iniesta factor:

Without Xavi and Iniesta, Messi cant score! Umm, okay, well rightly Xavi and Iniesta are the heart and soul of Barcelona without a shadow of a doubt. Having these two master-minds behind any striker will surely help the man up front to net in lots of goals. The whole team revolves around these 3 magicians, Xavi, Iniesta and Messi in my opinion. They are a terrific trio. It’s no lie that most of Messi’s goals came from the assists from both the Spaniards. But let’s be honest, isn’t football a team game? You just put one player against 11 men and he’s obviously not going to score. You remove midfielder’s (the creative heart) of a team and then strikers cannot score. Football is a team game, not a one man show.

2] International performances:

“Messi is not the best player in the world because he can’t score goals for his national side as he does for Barcelona” is commonly heard during an argument between two persons about Messi. Let’s get to it. Leo has netted in 17 goals in 60 appearances for the Albicelestes which is not really good in scoring terms. He was criticized for not scoring goals in the Copa America for Argentina. But are people aware of the fact that he had assisted 4 times in 4 games and played a huge role in Argentina’s goals in the Copa America?

Getting back to the World Cup performances, Lionel Messi was Argentina’s best player without a doubt, he had been assigned the play-maker role, and he did it well. A couple of assists to his name, and played a big role in Argentina’s matches at South Africa. Yet why is he being criticized for not performing for Argentina? He certainly is doing well, if he doesn’t score a goal, is he a bad player? Is that what football is all about? Assists, play making all play a huge role. Doesn’t it? And he is very much unselfish. The fact is Barcelona are a better team than Argentina, the national side cannot perform well, but why is Messi being criticized for that? He’s doing his job perfectly well, in most of the games for the Albicelestes.

Let me give an example, Ronaldo was the FIFA World player of the year in 2008, but what has he contributed for his national side? Nothing. But why is he not being criticized for not performing well at International level? What about Rooney? What about Tevez?

P.S It’s no comparison, just an example.

3] Never played in EPL:

There has been widespread talks that La Liga is a much more simpler league to score goals and is not as tough as the English Premier League. He hasn’t proved himself in England? How can he be the best? Wait, just think, what about other great players in the world like Ronaldo Luiz, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Figo, Pirlo, Maldini, have also never proved themselves in England, then why only Messi is being targeted for that? Yes, to play against sides like Stoke, Sunderland, West Bromwich would be a tough task for any player who hasn’t played in England, you need real good experience to play in a league like EPL where it is more competitive than La Liga. But one cannot say Messi will be a hit at England, nor can one say Messi will fail at England. The question still persists, and he it is highly unlikely of him to move away from Barcelona, to prove a point.

The fact that remains is Messi is not the best player in the world, but one among the best, there is no best, it’s just the teamwork that makes a player look incredible.

Football is a game of 11 men. Not just one man. 11 men together combine to exhibit the beautiful game of football.The arguement of Messi being “not the best” or being “the best” will forever continue. The days of Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo Luiz, Yohan Cruyff, George Best, Zinedine Zidane have all gone. It’s the time for youngsters like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and all the new stars to step up and start proving what they are capable of and continue to play the beautiful game. So as fans, we must encourage these great footballers, not discourage them.They are best at what they do.

All we can hope for is that people would stop criticizing each and every player who does his best on the field.Football means passion. Enjoy the beautiful game. Look at the positives, not the negatives.

Football is life, life is football.