Remember the photograph that went viral earlier this year of the little Afghan boy wearing what looked like an Argentina jersey made out of a plastic bag with Messi’s name and shirt number on it? That is the power of Lionel Messi. A football God to at least half the world, the Barcelona star needs no introduction. After all, what language and which words would you use to describe the extent of his talent and genius?
The Argentine’s every move on the pitch is instinctive, effortless and there is a sense of ease in what he does that makes him an absolute delight to behold .Would I be exaggerating if I said my heart sings with joy whenever he plays? I think not.
In honour of the man who has captivated the world since 2004, here’s looking back at ten of his best skills and goals on the pitch:
#10 Messi vs Brazil – 2012
Video courtesy: Youtube/Amster786
Lionel Messi scored a sensational hat-trick against South American rivals Brazil in a friendly clash in 2012. Both teams stood equally poised with three goals each on the scoreboard but it was Messi’s third goal of the night and Argentina’s fourth that stole the show.
He collected the ball from inside Brazil’s half near the touchline on the right and ran straight at the Brazilian defenders. Messi cut to his left and aimed a high curling shot into the top corner from just outside the box. An effortless strike if there ever was one.
#9 Messi vs USA – 2016
Video courtesy: Youtube/ShivDes357
Memories from Copa America 2016 are painful for any Messi fan but this sublime moment from the little Argentine deserves to be remembered. Argentina hammered the United States of America by four goals and one of those was a special free kick from the greatest of all time himself.
Standing at about 26 yards from the goal, Messi curled his free kick in at the far post where the keeper was. The attempt was pure cheek as he beat the keeper at his own post. And just take a moment to appreciate the margin of error Messi had to work with. Sheer brilliance!
#8 Messi vs Malaga – 2009
Video courtesy: Youtube/BarcaCanal
Barcelona was in fine goalscoring form the night the Catalans hosted Malaga at the Camp Nou in La Liga. Pep Guardiola’s men fired six goals past the visitors and Messi quite naturally found himself on the scoreboard.
The mercurial Argentine showed great control over the ball after he received a long cross with his chest. He dribbled and feinted past three defenders to aim a shot into the net. The pace and height of the ball put it well out of the goalkeeper’s reach and almost miraculously, Barcelona had their second goal of the night, possibly the best one out of the six.
#7 Messi vs Nigeria – 2011
Video courtesy: Youtube/Yassin Bouchiba
The Barcelona star may not have scored at the end of his defiant run into the Nigerian half at a friendly in Bangladesh, but his rebound shot did help Angel Di Maria score instead. After intercepting the ball at the half-line, Messi raced past five players to take a shot on goal.
The keeper got a hand out but couldn’t do enough to keep the ball. Instead, it fell kindly onto the path of Di Maria who was hardly going to miss from such close range. Only Messi has the uncanny ability to squeeze through defenders and make space to get a shot off.
Imagine how confused the player must have been trying to follow Messi’s footwork that he fell down without any incoming challenge.
#6 Messi vs Getafe – 2007
Video courtesy: Youtube/FC Barcelona
Every movement that went into this goal will go down in history as one of Messi’s best. The world was still getting to know him when the 19-year-old Argentine burst through the midfield and produced one of the best solo goals the world had ever seen.
As is evident from this goal, he started leaving defenders in his dust pretty early and in this case, it was five Getafe outfield players and the keeper. Not only was his dribbling otherworldly, but the goal cemented his future as one of the world's best. It seemed like Messi had run too far ahead when he released his shot and sent it spinning into the far post. Try scoring from that angle!
#5 Messi vs AC Milan – 2013
Video courtesy: Youtube/soccergoals2013
How does he do it every time? He’s done it time and time again and he pulled it off once more during Barcelona’s Champions League clash against AC Milan in 2013. What did he do you ask? If you see the video, you’ll realize the Argentine’s magical knack of somehow finding space between numerous bodies in the box and just making an attempt on goal.
And since it’s Leo Messi, it almost always goes in. This time, he squeezed a shot in the midst of four defenders while the keeper just stood and watched the ball go into his net. The beauty of this goal lies in its unexpectedness. No one would have guessed that he’d score from there but he did. And that’s what makes him so good.
#4 Messi vs Real Madrid – 2010–11
Video courtesy: Youtube/Messi Magic 2
Barcelona must have cherished this goal long after the match and the season were concluded. Scoring at an El Clasico must be what all Barcelona and Real Madrid players dream of and no one does it quite like Leo Messi.
In a memorable Champions League semi-final clash between the two teams, Messi scored a sensational solo goal that rendered the Madrid defenders innocuous. Mourinho’s players were standing in perfect formation in front of their goal but the Barcelona star didn’t care. He went past them all, fooled Casillas into going one way and then slotted his shot into the goal near the far post.
#3 Messi vs Atletico Madrid – 2012
Video courtesy: Youtube/damnage1’s channel
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’s face said it all after Messi’s cheeky free kick went in on for a goal. Sure, the Argentine took advantage of one of Courtois’s dumb moments, but that doesn’t disqualify the sheer insanity of the shot. The angle was impossible but the ball still went in. Wonder what you have to do with your foot to make a ball curl like that!
This particular set piece proves the genius of Lionel Messi simply because it defies all rationalization. Even if the Belgian keeper had been prepared, he had no chance of keeping this one out.
#2 Messi vs Bayern Munich – 2015
Video courtesy: Youtube/Shinjitsu Fansub
It looked like Messi was exacting revenge on at least some of the Bayern Munich players for Argentina’s loss to Germany in the World Cup final in 2014. He didn’t even break a sweat as he tore Munich to shreds in their semi-final meeting of the Champions League. The likes of Jerome Boateng and Manuel Neuer aren’t easily beaten but the Argentine captain made short work of them.
Messi nutmegged and dribbled past Boateng so fast he fell! And then chipped a glorious shot above Neuer’s head to book his team’s place in the final of the Champions League final that year.
#1 Messi vs Athletic Bilbao – 2015
Video courtesy: Youtube/ShivDes357
The 2014-15 season was a great one for the Catalans as they bagged the treble. Messi featured once again in their victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final and scored what is arguably the greatest goal of the tournament.
An elaborate run from near the right-hand touchline saw Messi exhibit outstanding ball control, dribbling, acceleration and then finally a superb shot into the near post past a hapless goalkeeper. Spare a thought for all the defenders he humiliated too.
And there you have it – ten of Messi’s most insane skills and goals over the years. Which one was the best?
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