Analysis of Messi's Impact in Soccer

We can just paint this as England crumbled.

But if you watch the second half, Argentina was the better team.

The quality of shots against a good England team,

the quality of shots and playmaking by Lionel Messi.

Think about this.

Scored or assisted in 11 straight World Cup appearances. Lionel Messi, 11 straight.

Think about that.

My only question,

how didn't he win this thing before he was 35?

Like, what happened in his 20s when he was faster?

I watched a clip last night of every Messi touch in the second half, every one.

Nobody else looks like that.

I don't have a lot of Pele clips,

but Ronaldo didn't look like that.

And a lot of times soccer purists will try to kind

of flex their knowledge and their nuance and the complexities of this sport.

Yeah, I love Phil Jackson's triangle offense,

but nowhere in his guidebook was there switching hands in midair for MJ.

There's just nobody that plays like Messi.

Left foot, right foot, doesn't matter.

Michael Jordan switched hands, Messi switches feet.

It just doesn't look like that for any player of all time.

And I mean, it's like a little kid running through a mall through adults.

Flying through,

and these are the greatest athletes, right, in this sport.

And he is at a completely another level.

I mean, even against Charles Barkley in that Suns Bulls final.

And Barkley was top of the world. He wasn't close to MJ.

And you know what's interesting, too?

Obviously, Messi is worshipped in his country by the countrymen,

but he's also worshipped by his teammates.

Because they know you will eventually get the perfect assist.

His ability to manipulate,

dribble, pass, and set up teammates and himself.

It's just unbelievably remarkable.

And again, the faith and the belief

that Argentina players have in him is so obvious when you watch it.

They are so painstakingly patient.

They know, everybody's got hope when they trail. Messi gives you assurance.

You will get the feed. You will get the perfect pass. It doesn't matter the foot.

And again, we can create a narrative that it's just England crumbling.

And that's a big part of it.

But the entire vibe shifted, the confidence that Argentina plays with.

And I don't even know how to quantify best to ever do blank.

It doesn't matter what the sport is because there's no comp, there's no borders.

And when you watch Messi,

sometimes you watch and

consistently he

just separates from even the other players like Kane and Bellingham.