The world’s best athlete – Does the concept really exist?

This is perhaps a perennial conundrum in Sports. Tito Vilanova may find a Plan B for Barcelona, Liverpool might win the elusive Premier League or a team may even successfully defend the UEFA Champions League, but we may not have a definite answer to the problem in the respective spectrum. Over generations we have had fans proclaiming the candidature of their favourite athletes; however, we have never had someone who’d have the entire sports fraternity to buttress him unanimously. Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, Muhammad Ali to Joe Frazier, Phil Mickelson to Tiger Woods, and Roger Federer to Rafael Nadal – the list has only proliferated. Barcelona still doesn’t have a plan B, Liverpool still hasn’t won the Premier League and no team has ever defended the UEFA Champions League. And all these might just be checkboxes, eventually to be checked; but not the concept of a sole supreme individual.

Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo

This is pretty romantic. And more than these two supernatural athletes, it’s the fans that make sure that they give the other clan a run for their money. No matter how much they deny it, these two phenomenons do not have a liking for each other. They match each other in their scoring prowess and also the etiquette (or the lack of it) of not greeting each other on the pitch. Ronaldo gets irked when fans greet him with “Messi Messi” chants; of late Leo, too has been subjected to “Ronaldo Ronaldo”

However, if we scrutinize further, the fact lies bare that they have done little with national colours on. Ronaldo, 27, has been in the international arena for almost a decade now. Despite his bucketload of talent, Ronaldo at best could only take Portugal to the semi-final of Euro’12. Nonetheless, the Real Madrid star was in blistering form and a moment of indecision at not stepping up to take one of the five decisive penalties perhaps cost his team yet another shot at glory.

Leo Messi, 25, is perhaps a shade below Cristiano when national colours are in question. In the words of Jonathan Wilson – “He resembles another native of Rosario who found fame abroad and was never entirely accepted back home: Che Guevara.” Lionel’s lacklustre performance in last year’s Copa America did not help his cause either. Despite some of the recent sensational outings with the Albicelestes, Leo has often seesawed from scintillating (for FC Barcelona) to sloppy. Without an iota of doubt, he provides Argentina whatever little impetus they have, but is his delivery at par with the one he dishes out in Europe, week-in week-out? The reader’s answer is as good as mine.

At United, under the tutelage of Sir Alex, Ronaldo flourished as one of the leading footballers on the planets. Leo on the other hand has been FC Barcelona’s darling ever since Carles Rexach discovered his talent. These two men match each other toe-to-toe. When once breaks a two-decade long record of the highest number of goals in a single season, the other overtakes that the following season. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona too compete against each other at a stratospheric level, not many aspire to reach. Football is a team game and as they say, a chain is only as strong its weakest link – Portugal and Argentina aren’t exactly teams to beat and it’s only human for these two phenomenal athletes to falter because of a few chinks in their team’s armour – for Argentina it’s the almost nonexistent defence; for Portugal it’s the below par midfield and the lack of a potent striker. After all, not everyone is a certain Diego Armando Maradona, who can drag a team singlehandedly, through thick and thin, ethically and unethically and achieve the highest glory. The bout is perhaps a battle which keeps swinging but the war isn’t over yet and it’s not going to end either unless one of these two wins a major trophy for the national team. Even then, it doesn’t assure us that the world will eventually see the elusive ‘best footballer ever’!

Rafael Nadal & Roger Federer

Not many Sporting rivalries can match the level of hysteria that this one generates. This particular rivalry has got more to it than meets the eye. Two thorough gentlemen and at the top of their games, Roger and Rafa have won 28 of the last 40 Grand Slams – a whopping 70%. Perhaps there isn’t a better portrayal of hegemony in sports. Despite being poles apart in their style, these gentlemen have something in common – a hunger to win. While Federer is known for his impeccable technique and uncanny ability to keep himself devoid of any major injury, Rafael is more of a bull – a Spanish Armada, who doesn’t accept defeat till the last breath.

When comparisons go over the top and adjectives fail to do justice to these two epitomes of Tennis hierarchy, we just fail to realise and thank our lucky stars that we were privileged enough to see these gentlemen at the top of their games.

Roger Federer – also known as FedEx, shot to fame with his audacious display against Pete Sampras in the 2001 Wimbledon. Ever since, there’s been no looking back for the Swiss Maestro. His first Grand Slam win against Mark Philippoussis, in 2003 marked the beginning of an era and ever since, the world of tennis underwent a metamorphosis. If fans were saddened at the professional demise of Becker, Sampras, Agassi, et al, Roger’s entry was the dawn. “In an era of specialists – you’re either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist or a hard court specialist — or you’re Roger Federer,” said John McEnroe, former World number 1. Touche Sire!

Rafael Nadal – when the FedEx was going all guns blazing, this perhaps was the final frontier. In the words of the Joker – “When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.” Rafael Nadal wasn’t the adversary Roger Federer needed, but certainly the one he deserved. Two astonishing gentlemen and two superhuman athletes upped the ante and took the game to a level which none had seen coming. Nadal is perhaps an epitome of stamina and power. Bullish in his approach, this Real Madrid fan has speed and audacious court coverage and is undoubtedly one of the greatest to have graced the game.

Despite recurrent injuries, Rafael has done what most might not even dream of. He matched Roger. Toe-to-toe! So much so that the Swiss Master had once said, “It could get into my mind. I could start thinking, ‘I can’t play against this guy, his game doesn’t suit me’. I could start accepting the fact that I have been losing against him, but that would be a bad thing for me to do.” Someone has cajoled FedEx to think in these lines. Isn’t this testimony enough to accept Rafael’s claim as one of the top players in history along with Roger?

Pete Sampras had a vicious top-spin. Along with Agassi, Sampras clocked 1800 rpm. Roger Federer took that up to 2500 rpm – a stunning 39% increase. Rafa took a step further. His top-spins are usually of 3200 rpm (with a peak recorded value of 5000 rpm). He has almost doubled Sampras and Agassi’s efforts. Testament enough to gauge the benchmark set by the Spaniard and the Swiss for generations to come.

History is replete with examples of such stunning and iconic rivalries. However, in the moment of madness fans tend to deny the opposition the respect that he deserves. There’s a rationale behind being a fan of a certain athlete. And when we have another one, throwing down the gauntlet, to his claim, there must be good reason. Perhaps a little respect will not do us any harm. After all, despite the intense rivalry, if Rafa and Roger can have utmost respect for each other, what is stopping us – the fans of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, from extending a little courtesy and respect, if not to the individual, that at least to his efforts and sacrifices to reach the level?

Moreover, the concept of the Best Athlete, in any sport for that matter, is perhaps as real as the Garden of the Hesperides. Hegemony is natural. Nevertheless, the champion will meet his match sooner rather than later. And then there will be a new champion. This phenomenon is perhaps as old as time itself. It’sjJust that the human cognition doesn’t buy the deal!