The 'greatest' leaves PSG on low note : Messi The GOAT
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is coming to an end on a low note. He is set to join his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, just months after leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup. Despite winning 37 club trophies, seven Ballon d'Or awards, and six European Golden Boots, Messi's failure to help PSG achieve a maiden Champions League triumph resulted in his suspension from the team after making an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia.
Messi's former team, Barcelona, was hoping to bring the 35-year-old player back to the Camp Nou, where he won 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions League crowns before his departure in 2021. However, a source close to the negotiations revealed that Messi's move to Saudi Arabia was a "done deal," although they stopped short of disclosing which club the Argentine would join. Ronaldo is currently playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Arabian domestic league, and Messi's arrival will mean that Saudi Arabia can boast having two of the greatest players of the modern era.
In his final World Cup appearance, Messi scored twice as Argentina battled to a 3-3 draw in extra time before prevailing on penalties. The absence of a World Cup winners' medal had long been a sticking point in the debate over Messi's right to be regarded as the greatest footballer in history. But with Argentina's victory over France in last year's World Cup final, the argument is officially settled.
Messi's glittering career has spanned three decades, during which he won several titles, including a Copa America title, an Olympic gold medal, and several scoring and statistical records that may never be broken. However, whether Messi is the greatest ever footballer is subjective and pointless to answer. What is undeniable, though, is that by sheer volume and range of silverware, Messi has won more than other serious rivals to his "G.O.A.T" status, Pele and Diego Maradona.
While Pele's three World Cup triumphs remain unrivaled, the Brazilian icon's club career pales in comparison to Messi's. In his peak years with Barcelona, Messi regularly scaled the pinnacle of European club football in the Champions League – arguably a technically superior arena than international football. Maradona, on the other hand, won only one World Cup and never lifted a European Cup during his club career in Europe, remembered mostly for spells with Barcelona and Napoli. However, the counter-argument is that Pele and Maradona played in an era where players received less protection than Messi and Ronaldo.
Messi is potentially leaving the European elite for good, but he is yet to end an international career that has already produced 102 goals in 174 matches. The Copa America in the United States next year could still provide a fitting swansong for Messi.
Meanwhile, Maradona's former international teammate, Jorge Burruchaga, has said that Messi is the greatest player of his era. "Win or lose, Messi is not more or less than Maradona," Burruchaga said during the World Cup. "Messi is going to be in history whatever happens. There are five players in the past 70 years who can be considered the best in the world – (Alfredo) Di Stefano, Johan Cruyff, Pele, Maradona, and Messi."
blogpay
Total Comments: 0