I realised something last night. Lionel Messi, Great Footballer? Not for me, Clive..

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

An effective footballer, certainly. Efficient. Definitely one to have in the team, as it were. But Great? Really Great, like Pele, or Cruyff, or Maradona? No chance.

Ask yourself when Messi ever did anything elegant, anything daring, dashing, innovative, balletic, anything mixing grace with power, anything unexpected, anything simply beautiful?

He's good at keeping the ball at his feet by taking lots of tiny steps really quickly, and his body is so drugged up it's impossible to knock him off the ball. That's it, really.

Argentinian shortarse :judge:

[Mo Britain less Europe]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Berni]

[Luis Anaconda]

[redgunamo]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[redgunamo]

[redgunamo]

Follows Function sense, young Leo is at least on the same page as those legends.

[Classic Jorge]

I love the nondescript, shy, shuffling wee chap tbh, he's fantastic.

There's an argument to say, not only is he one of the greats, but he could quite possibly be the greatest ever. Though I think he definitely needs a world cup. He's not even won a copa america, for instance.

[Ashberto]

[Classic Jorge]

[redgunamo]

reinventing the business altogether. As all the truly great must do, in fairness.

[Luis Anaconda]