Chuka Umunna
: Ed's Google Speech and What It Means for Responsible Capitalism
B.J. Epstein
: Down With the Matriarchy? What Matriarchy?
Dr Peter Bruggen
: Sir David Nicholson Resigns but if Many Bad Apples Remain, The NHS Might Be Rotten to the Core
Jack Butler
: Miliband Talks the Talk on Tax Avoidance - But Can Anyone Walk the Walk
Xenios Thrasyvoulou
: Is It Easier Than Ever to Start a Business?
Lionel Messi scored five against Bayer Leverkusen last night to become the first player in Champions League history to score said amount in a match.
For those with short memories, the Champions League is actually the European Cup - a competition which has been in existence since 1955. So actually, he isn't.
That myth, like the one that Barcelona invented football in 2009, conforms to the sycophancy which is afforded the blaugrana and the Barca-dominant Spanish national side.
If anything, he should be disappointed not to score a large number of goals against a side resigned to elimination and embarrassment before a ball had been kicked.
The Argentine is one of the greatest footballers ever and possesses amazing, god-given talent. Kudos to the little man also for making amends for being named after Lionel Ritchie.
However, must Twitter crash every time he scores against Spanish nonentities or European fodder? Eulogising him has become as tedious as talking about Carlos Tevezzzzzzzz.
Furthermore, he's not even the top scorer in Spain. And neither was he last season. Cristiano Ronaldo holds personal - and collective - dominance. Real Madrid are a whopping 10 points ahead of their Catalan nemesis.
And as outstanding as "the little flea" is, he is yet to have as great a campaign as Ronaldo did in 2007/08.
That season, the Manchester United attacker hit 42 goals and scored against every side he played against in all competitions, with the exception of Manchester City (against whom he was suspended for one game) and Barcelona (where he missed a penalty).
Four years ago the Premier League was fiercely competitive, whereas Spain now resembles a sunny Scottish Premier League (before Rangers went into administration). There is no debate as to which opponents were/are more competitive.
Messi too is the beneficiary of an amazing supporting cast. Ronaldo, on the other hand, was the talisman, the creator and the goalscorer for United. Carlos Tevez got closest to him in the scoring charts with 19 strikes.
Take Ronaldo out of that United side, they wouldn't have won the European Cup. Take Messi out of Barcelona, and the same can't be said.
So congratulations for eviscerating a side that beat Chelsea and are fifth in the Bundesliga.
Follow Samuel Luckhurst on Twitter: www.twitter.com/samuelluckhurst
Yousif Nur: The Emergence of Muslim Footballers in the Premier League
Lionel Messi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lionel Messi Bio, Stats, News - Football / Soccer - - ESPN Soccernet
Even Rooney, flag ship of your beloved United, agrees on Messi being the best player. Did you see Ronaldo crying last season after being battered non stop by Barca's supremacy?
A big "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" for you...I dont even know how has this article been published here...Ridiculous...just for the record, I am not a Barca fan, but a fan of the beautiful game in general.
quoting Sahran Ktir: Messi is the best either u like it or not.
1. Messi hasn't had a single year like Ronaldo's in 2007/8...you're correct, he's had THREE of them.
2. Barcelona would not have won the Champions League without Messi.
3. Being top goalscorer in your league doesn't determine whether you are the best player. Zidane wasn't prolific. Null point anyway as Messi out scores him in Europe where there are no 'Spainish nonentities'
4. the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE single game record is what he now holds, not EUROPEAN CUP.
5. A 'spanish nonentitie' beat Manchester United 3-2 at home last night. So there IS a debate on what league is more competitive.
In conclusion, Samuel Luckhurst is not only a bitter man but a poor writer trying to go against the grain for views. It's failed, you've managed to demean yourself as a writer.
I'm a Real Madrid fan before cries of bias. What Messi is achieving should be commended, not belittled by some poor writer with obvious lack of football knowledge. Jeez, I know Chelsea are having a shoddy year but to disregard a victory against them is nonsensical.
Shake my head at this 'journalism'.
Poor.
This article seems to use all that stats thats suits it best and ignores all the stats that would weaken its argument.
Messi is the best either u like it or not.