lionel messi

Messi has been compared to compatriot Diego Maradona, due to their similar playing style and stature,^[224] which gives him a lower centre of gravity than most players, allowing him to be more agile and change direction more quickly, helping him to evade tackles.^[225] His short, strong legs allow him to excel in short bursts of acceleration and his quick feet allow him to keep control of the ball when dribbling at speed.^[226] His former FC Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola, once stated: “Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it.”^[227] Like Maradona before him, Messi is dominantly a left footed player.^[228] With the outside of his left foot, he usually begins dribbling runs, whilst he uses the inside of his foot to finish and provide passes and assists to team mates.^[225]
Messi often undertakes individual dribbling runs towards goal, in particular during counterattacks, usually starting from the halfway line, or the right side of the pitch, although he has also been described as a versatile team player, with good vision, known for his passing and his creative combinations, in particular with Barcelona team mates Xavi and Iniesta.^{[229][230][231]} He is also an accurate set piece and penalty kick taker.^[232] With regards to his dribbling ability, Maradona has said of Messi: "The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi's ball control."^[233] Maradona has stated that he believes Messi to currently be the greatest player in the world.^[234][235]

"Messi has his personality and I have mine. He has his game and I have mine. I also play in a big club like him. We are different in every aspect. But right now, he is the best."

 —Cristiano Ronaldo, in September 2011^[236]

Tactically, Messi plays a free attacking and occasionally a playmaking role,^[61] known for his finishing, pace, dribbling, balance, positioning, vision and passing ability.^[230][237] He is comfortable attacking on either wing or through the centre of the pitch.^[238] He began his career as a left-winger and forward, but was later moved onto the right wing by former manager Frank Rijkaard, who noticed that from this position, Messi could cut through the defence into the middle of the pitch more easily, allowing him to curl shots on goal with his left foot, rather than predominantly crossing balls for team mates.^[239] He has more recently played in a false 9 role under Guardiola.^[240] This role is characterized by Messi's tendency to seemingly be playing as a centre forward, or as a lone striker, although he will often run back into deep positions drawing defenders with him, creating space for wingers, other forwards, and attacking midfielders to make runs, allowing him to provide them with assists or giving him space to begin dribbling runs, score goals or create attacking plays.^[240] With the Argentinian National team, Messi usually plays anywhere along the front line. He began as a forward or winger but has also played in a deeper role, in particular under Maradona, in more of an attacking midfield and playmaking role.[2

Lionel Messi

Messi won the 2011 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, beating his FC Barcelona team-mate Xavi Hernández and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi won the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or, again beating his team-mate Xavi and Cristiano Ronaldo. By winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or again, Messi become the fourth player to win three Ballon d'Ors, after Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco Van Basten and the second player to win three consecutive Ballon d'Ors, after Michel Platini (although two of his Ballon d'Ors are FIFA Ballon d'Ors, which he won consecutively). Messi also won the IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer award, with 19 goals in 2011.^[136]
On 19 February 2012, Messi, on his 200th La Liga appearance, scored four goals against Valencia CF in a 5–1 win.^[137] On 7 March, Messi became the first player to score five goals in an UEFA Champions League match since the tournament's re-establishment in 1992, helping the defending champions Barcelona win 7–1 against Bayer Leverkusen.^[138]
On 20 March, Messi scored three goals against Granada, making him FC Barcelona's leading goalscorer in official competitions, surpassing club legend César Rodríguez, who had previously held the record with 232.^[139]
On 3 April, Messi scored two goals from penalty kicks against Milan in the second leg of the Champions League Quarter-final, allowing him to surpass his personal record, joint with Ruud van Nistelrooy, of 12 goals in a single UEFA Champions League season. These goals allowed him to tie José Altafini's record of 14 goals in a single European Cup season in the 1962–63 season, before the tournament's re-establishment as the UEFA Champions League in 1992.^[121] Messi was unable to score in the semifinals, although he provided an assist in the second leg, as Barcelona were knocked out to eventual winners Chelsea. During the second leg match, Messi missed an important penalty, hitting the crossbar. The goal would have put Barcelona ahead on aggregate.^[140]
On 11 April, Messi scored his 61st goal of the season against Getafe CF, and made two assists.^[141] On 2 May, Messi scored a hat-trick against Málaga CF surpassing Gerd Müller's record (67 goals in 1972–73) with 68 goals, and thus becoming the best goalscorer in history in one season in Europe.^[142] It was the 21st multi-goal game of the season for Messi and his seventh La Liga hat-trick.^[143] He then scored four goals on 5 May against RCD Espanyol to take his tally to an unprecedented 72 goals, in the process becoming only the second player to pass 70 goals in a first division season since Archie Stark of Bethlehem Steel in the American Soccer League in 1924–25.^[18]
On 25 May, he scored again in the 2012 Copa del Rey Final, helping Barcelona win their 26th Spanish Cup title, and increasing his seasonal goalscoring record to an unmatched 73 goals in all competitions.^[144][145] This was also Guardiola's last match as Barcelona's manager, and the Cup win marked Messi's second Copa del Rey title, after losing the final the year before, as well as his 14th Barcelona trophy during Guardiola's four seasons at the club. Although Barcelona failed to win their 4th consecutive Liga title under Guardiola, finishing runners up to arch-rivals Real Madrid, Messi finished the 2011–12 season as the top goalscorer in La Liga for a second time, with a Liga record of 50 goals. He was the second best assist provider in La Liga that season with 16 assists, after Mesut Özil, who managed 17. He also ended the season as the UEFA Champions' League Top Scorer for a fourth consecutive time, with 14 goals.^[144] He was one of the top assist providers of the tournament with 5 assists and finished the season with 73 goals and 29 assists in all club competitions, with more goals and assists than any other player.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈmesi], born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country's national football team. By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or^[2] and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He followed this up by winning the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010,^[3] and again in 2011^[4] and 2012.^[5] He also won the 2010–11 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. At the age of 24, Messi became Barcelona's all-time top scorer in all official club competitions.^[6] At age 25, Messi became the youngest player to score 200 La Liga goals.^[7][8]
Consistently rated by commentators, coaches and colleagues as the best footballer in the world and as one of the greatest players in the history of the game,^{[9][10][11][12][13]} Messi is the first football player in history to win four FIFA/Ballons d'Or, all of which he won consecutively. Messi has won five La Ligas, two Copas del Rey, five Supercopas de España, three Champions Leagues, two Super Cups and two Club World Cups. In March 2012, Messi made UEFA Champions League history by becoming the first player to score five goals in one match, achieving the feat in a 7–1 win over Bayer Leverkusen.^[14] He also matched José Altafini's record of 14 goals in a single Champions League season.^[15] Messi became the first player to top-score in four successive Champions League campaigns.^[16][17] He set the European record for most goals scored in a season during the 2011–12 season, with 73 goals.^[18] In the same season, he set the current goalscoring record in a single La Liga season, scoring 50 goals.^[19] On 16 February 2013, Lionel Messi scored his 300th Barcelona goal against Granada.^[20]
Messi was the top scorer of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with six goals. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in the FIFA World Cup and he won a runners-up medal at the Copa América tournament the following year, in which he was elected young player of the tournament.^[21] In 2008, he won his first international honour, an Olympic gold medal, with the Argentina Olympic football team. Sportspro has rated Lionel Messi as the third most marketable athlete in the world.^[22] His playing style and stature have drawn comparisons to compatriot Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi his "successor".^[23]

Daniel Alves

On 2 July 2008, Alves joined FC Barcelona. He left Sevilla in tears and said that he would love to play for Sevilla again. He said that he came to Sevilla as a boy and is now leaving as a man, but later broke down in tears at the press conference.^[17] The official price of the transfer stands at £23 million up front, with about £7 million more to pay depending on a number of performance related factors over the next few seasons of Alves' Barcelona career, making him the world's most expensive defender^[18] and the third most expensive player bought by Barça. He signed a four-year contract with Barcelona, that includes a buy-out clause of €90 million.
Alves made his competitive and European debuts for Barcelona against Wisła Kraków in the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League third-round qualifiers on 13 August 2008.^[19] He made his La Liga debut in the season-opener away to Numancia on 31 August 2008.^[20] Dani Alves missed the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final due to a yellow-card suspension; Barcelona beat Manchester United 2–0 and thus completed The Treble. In his second season at FC Barcelona, the club retained the La Liga title, and in the 2010–11 La Liga season, Alves was instrumental in Barca's winning of their third consecutive La Liga title and fourth

Daniel Alves

Alves made his Brazil debut as a substitute in an unofficial friendly match against Kuwait club Al-Kuwait Selection on 7 October 2006. Three days later, he earned his first international cap in a friendly against Ecuador. He was included in Brazil's team for the 2007 Copa América. He appeared in four matches including the final against Argentina, where he gave an assist and scored a goal in a 3–0 victory. Despite being the most expensive right-back in history, he has been unable to hold down a regular starting spot in the national team with Maicon being the first choice ahead of him. Alves came on as a substitute in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final against South Africa and scored the winner, a free-kick and a goal in the 88th minute in a 1–0 win.^[21] He scored another long range free-kick against Iran on 7 October 2010.

Daniel Alves

Daniel Alves da Silva (born 6 May 1983), commonly known as Dani Alves, is a Brazilian footballer. He plays as an offensive right defender for FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team.
Before joining Barcelona, Alves spent a successful six-year spell with Sevilla FC, winning two UEFA Cups and the Copa del Rey with the Andalusian side. He joined Barcelona for €32.5m,^[2] becoming the second most expensive defender to date, after Rio Ferdinands transfer from Leeds United to Manchester United in 2002 for around £30 million. Alves won the Treble in his first season with the club and in the other season, he won Spanish super cup, European super cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. Also, he helped the club to clinch another Spanish super cup, two league titles, and a UEFA Champions League in the years that followed. Alves has held a Spanish passport since 2005.^[3] On Thursday, 29 September 2011, Alves was appointed as a Special Olympics Ambassador for its Global Football program, charged with promoting respect and inclusion in football for people with intellectual disabilities, particularly in the run up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.^[4]

Diego Maradona

On 20 October 1976, Maradona made his professional debut with Argentinos Juniors, ten days before his sixteenth birthday.^[18] He played there between 1976 and 1981, scoring 115 goals in 167 appearances before his £1m transfer to Boca Juniors. Having joined the Boca squad midway through the 1981 season, Maradona played through 1982 earning his first league championship medal. Whilst playing for Argentinos Juniors, English club Sheffield United put in an offer of £180,000 for his services but the bid was rejected.

Barcelona

After the 1982 World Cup, in June, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain for a then world record £5m.^[18] In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey (Spain's annual national cup competition), beating Real Madrid, and the Spanish Super Cup, beating Athletic Bilbao. However, Maradona had a difficult tenure in Barcelona.^[19] First a bout with hepatitis, then a broken ankle caused by an ill-timed tackle by Athletic's Andoni Goikoetxea threatened with jeopardizing Maradona's career,^[18] but after treatment and therapy it was possible for him to soon be back on the pitch.

Maradona spent two seasons at Barcelona

During his two injury-hit seasons at Barcelona, Maradona scored 38 goals in 58 games.^[20] At Barcelona, Maradona got into frequent disputes with the team's directors, especially club president Josep Lluís Núñez, culminating with a demand to be transferred out of Camp Nou in 1984. He was transferred to Napoli in Italy's Serie A for another record fee, £6.9m.

Napoli

Diego Maradona with Napoli in 1985.

At Napoli, Maradona reached the peak of his professional career. He quickly became an adored star among the club's fans, and in his time there he elevated the team to the most successful era in its history. Led by Maradona, Napoli won their only Serie A Italian Championships in 1986/87 and 1989/1990, placing second in the league twice, in 1987/88 and 1988/89. Other honors during the Maradona era at Napoli included the Coppa Italia in 1987, (second place in the Coppa Italia in 1989), the UEFA Cup in 1989 and the Italian Supercup in 1990. Maradona was the top scorer in Serie A in 1987/88.
During his time in Italy, Maradona's personal problems increased. His cocaine use continued, and he received US $70,000 in fines from his club for missing games and practices, ostensibly because of 'stress'.^[21] He faced a scandal there regarding an illegitimate son; and he was also the object of some suspicion over an alleged friendship with the Camorra.^{[22][23][24][25][26]}
Later on, in honor of Maradona and his achievements during his career at Napoli, the #10 jersey of Napoli was officially retired.^[27]