By Anil Raturi
Lionel Messi is a footballing phenomenon.
Just five feet seven inches tall and weighing about 67 kgs, he has a rather small stature compared to the average international players, who are taller and heavier, being above six feet and weighing at least 75kgs.
It is ironic that someone who is arguably the greatest soccer player of all time, was as a child considered unsuitable for the game!
Since, as a child he was naturally small and also suffered from a growth disorder, it was said that he couldn’t be a footballer!
Life defies predictability.
Nature breaks all stereotypes.
Paradoxically, the experts now say that it is precisely his small stature which gives him the flexibility to quickly change course during sprints, along with the low centre of gravity that makes him the phenomena which he is!
Messi has honed his extraordinary talent through discipline and hard work.
His sweat and blood has made him one of the toughest footballers of all time in a game where injury is the norm.
Despite thousands of physical tackles by athletic players twice his size, he has remarkably withstood the intense depreciation of professional soccer.
Just remaining fit for more than two decades at such a high level of the game is commendable.
That he could, at 39 years of age, while playing in World Cup finals, still inspire players who are half his age is also incredible!
He has broken all possible records.
He is perhaps also the richest sportsman in the world.
He is a living legend. We are privileged to see him play.
Having said that, on a more personal note, I would like to add that despite his extraordinary footballing skills, I did not find his game beautiful to watch.
His game was more efficient than beautiful!
He lacked the spontaneous spectacle which imbued the game of Maradona of 1986!
Messi’s senior compatriot Maradona’s second goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, also called “the goal of the century”, for me, remains the gold standard for footballing beauty!
Messi and Maradona are both great footballing names.
If Messi is excellence, then Maradona was beautiful!
(The author is a retired IPS officer and former DGP, Uttarakhand.)
