In the words of legendary ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, “Don’t write about him. Don’t try to describe him: watch him.”
I concur. It is simply impossible to describe what Leo Messi does with the ball with such trivial things as words. And not just for people related to the football fraternity, his genius is apparent to footballing neophytes as well.
In the words of Sor Lucia Caram, an Argentine nun based in Catalunya, “One looks entranced, like by a beautiful painting or a sunset, when one faces Messi.” Ray Hudson, famous footballing pundit and mad-as-hatter Englishman describes Messi as magisterial, something that most Blaugrana like me have come to use as an apt prefix for Leo. In his words “He doesn’t live in the tactical world or the technical world, he lives in the magnetic spectrum of genius”.
I am an average wordsmith and there is no way I can describe Leo when so many greats have failed. I will nevertheless have a go at it.
How a ‘Small Guy’ Changed Barcelona
I have been an FC Barcelona fan for as long as I can remember. A childhood in the Middle-East meant La Liga games were on right about dinner time where I would sit down in front of the telly with dad and watch the likes of Ronaldinho, Xavi, Eto’o, Puyol ply their trade.
Barcelona were not the behemoth they are today back then. Perennial underdogs to the more successful Real Madrid (curse them), it just felt right in cheering on the men in Blaugrana (Catalan for Red and Blue). Little did we know back then (in 2004) how different this next decade would be.
It all started on a La Liga night in October at the Camp Nou in Barcelona when a diminutive, shaggy haired Argentine sporting the number 30 replaced Ludovic Giuly in the XI against Albacete.
I recall wondering how such a small guy would do against the burly defenders in professional football! Needless to say, it took me less than half a minute to understand that this kid (17 at the time) was special. Dad was there. I remember telling him - ‘wow this guy is pretty good!’ And this in a side overshadowed by the magic in Ronaldinho’s boots! I also recall seeing Andres Iniesta’s debut and telling dad, ‘He’s so silky on the ball’. A decade later - Leo & Andres had won 4 UEFA Champions Leagues, 7 league titles, 3 Domestic Cups and a host of other smaller titles marking an era of immense domination for the club domestically and in Europe.
Why Messi is so Appealing
All in all, there’s something about Leo that appeals to me a lot more than the bronzed gods that have bestrode the football world through the ages.
George Best was known for his love of booze, cars and women. Ronaldinho wasted away his genius in the nightclubs of Barcelona. Ronaldo poses for Calvin Klein underwear. Maradona was consumed by cocaine. Pele thinks he’s the reincarnation of God. In all this, it just feels ‘right’ to root for the 5’6” media shy guy with the childhood sweetheart who looks more like a trucker in the Southern US than someone who waxes their chest for a living (I’m looking at you Ronaldo). Here he is looking like he’s on the first day of his accounting internship after a Clasico win in March. How can you not love the man!
A Messi Goal, Deconstructed
No article praising Leo can be complete without a goal to show for it. Although I would never wish the thankless task of choosing his ‘best’ goal on anyone. I leave you with just another in his assembly line of jaw-dropping, awe-inducing goals. It is one he scored in the 2015 Copa del Ray final against Bilbao. Noting the restrictions of Germanic languages in capturing his moments of genius, I turn to crazy football commentator Jorge Ramos and his era-defining call on this work of art in Spanish.
And here is the translation -
Dani Alves with Messi.
Steps on it and shows it to Valenciaga.
Starts and leaves Valenciaga along the way,
He’s going to cut back Laporte
He left him - oh my God.
By God, why comment?!
Why say it?! If you see it all!
This is impressive, by GOD, GOOOAAAALLLLL...!!!!!
Is it true Pereira? was it a goal?!
I can’t believe it, how could he have done this?!
By God, Ladies and Gentlemen, what a play! He keeps surprising us!
How am I going to yell it, and sing it. It’s disrespectful to this art!
It should be placed in the Prado Museum!
This has no equal Pereira!
If someone wants to, they can yell it [yell Goal], I resist the urge.
I’ll do a bow, I’ll tell him: Thank you, Messi, for existing.
As Jorge says - I bow to you Messi, thank you for existing.
(The writer is a football lover and a lifelong Barcelona fan.)
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