It is not an overstatement to say that the football world has experienced the most incredible 36 years alongside the emergence, growth, and ascent to the pinnacle of genius of Lionel Messi. On El Pulga's birthday, let us listen to the football community's praise for him.
When Messi agreed to move to Inter Miami this summer, the sorrow was immense. The majority believe that Messi is still capable of playing at the highest level for a few more years, even breaking all limits with his extraordinary skills. Never before has a 36-year-old player left such a lasting impression when choosing to retreat to a peaceful retirement.
The victory in the 2022 World Cup with the Argentine national team six months ago was a glory solely for Messi but brought disappointment to his admirers. It was like placing a diamond on the golden crown, creating perfection for the "king" Messi. It's over now; Messi no longer has any goals to strive for. His attachment to the ball at this point is perhaps pure passion, wanting to "play" the game in its truest sense in the final years.
In reality, Messi already held a position of dominance in the hearts of everyone, even without that golden trophy. When asked about the greatest contemporary player, Arsene Wenger needed no hesitation: "Lionel Messi." And when it comes to the greatest player of all time, the "Professor" repeated his answer: "Lionel Messi."
In 2019, during Liverpool's clash with Barcelona, Jurgen Klopp was asked to name the top 5 greatest players in the world. He replied, "I don't want to talk about the other four; Messi is the only answer. People can talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, but this is my opinion."
Going further back in history, in 2011, Sir Alex Ferguson created one of the most iconic moments in a press conference, with Messi as the topic. After Manchester United's 1-3 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League final, Sir Alex received the question, "If the Manchester United owner allowed you to choose one of the Barcelona players to bring to Old Trafford, who would you choose?"
Smiling and responding, Sir Alex made the whole room burst into laughter: "That is one of the most foolish questions I have ever heard in my life. Are you testing my patience? Well, I choose Mascherano."
Sir Alex never had the fortune to lead Messi like Pep Guardiola did. Under Pep's guidance, Messi truly blossomed, surpassing the giant shadow of Ronaldinho and winning his first Ballon d'Or. But Pep does not dare claim that he created the "monster" Messi; on the contrary, Messi has always been an exception to Pep.
"When I went to Bayern and now at Man City, I have never called Messi and persuaded him to come to Munich or Manchester. I also never met with the leaders of these two teams and said, 'Bring Messi here.' Never. Simply because I know how important this young man is to Barcelona," admitted Pep.
Messi is indeed crucial to Barcelona, but Barcelona failed to preserve that, resulting in a nearly two-decade-long relationship with a forgettable ending. But perhaps, it is for the better, for Messi's life and career to be slightly less perfect, to make him resemble an ordinary person a little more, allowing the next generation to dream of reaching that level—even if it's only in their dreams!
