Lionel Messi – Back To Being The Best

13 days ago Cristiano Ronaldo was deservedly named the best player in the world at the 2015 Ballon D’Or ceremony. No one could truly dispute Cristiano had been the best player in the world throughout 2014. However, in the first  few weeks of 2015 Lio Messi has quickly moved to reassert himself as the greatest player in the world, and indeed arguably the greatest ever seen.

Some of Messi’s performances, such as the demolition of Atletico Madrid, one of the strongest defences in world football, have been utterly mesmeric. With Neymar Jr alongside him Messi has found the perfect foil. Many of Neymar’s goals this season have come from moments of genius by the little Argentine. This weekend’s masterclass against Elche was a perfect example of this.

All top players need one or two players near their level to bounce off as Messi now has exactly that with Neymar and Luis Suarez up front at Barca, forming a front three capable of competing with Real Madrid’s BBC of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano.

Barcelona’s front three: Suarez, Messi and Neymar

It seems almost as if Ronaldo picking up another Ballon D’Or has inspired Messi to up his game, and he is now doing things no other player on the planet is capable of. This is not wholly similar to Ronaldo’s reaction to Messi’s last Ballon D’Or win when he pushed himself harder than ever to remain the crown, and retain it.

The football world is lucky to have Ronaldo and Messi pushing each other, each determined to be not only the best player in the world but the best of all time. They surely must both rank in the Top 10, possibly Top 5 and it would not be at all surprising for one to end their career hailed as the greatest ever.

2015 looks to be another fascinating year with Messi back to the peak of his prodigious powers. There is no doubt Ronaldo will not ease off. The other question will be for the seventh year running, is there anyone else out there who dares to challenge these two?

Real Madrid’s front three: Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema

2012 – The Year Spain Dominated World Football

This year’s Ballon D’Or saw Barcelona’s Leo Messi claim his 4th title as the world’s best player and all 11 players in the World 11 being Spanish-based players with 5 from Barca and 5 from Real Madrid.

Messi with his 4th Ballon D’Or

This has led to a huge deal of moaning from those in England who can’t deal with the fact that they no longer have the best league in the world. The truth is, La Liga is far superior to the EPL or any other league at this point in time.

As someone who watches both leagues every weekend its easy to see that La Liga now has the best players, and so I thought I’d outline my World 11 below, which evidently is really not that different from the official one.

Even as a Manchester United fan I don’t see Robin Van Persie as deserving a place in the team, with both Radamel Falcao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic being steps ahead of him.

As for Messi, there is absolutely no doubt he deserved to win the trophy, he’s been in a different class to everyone else in 2012 and may well be the greatest player of all time. I would have been delighted to see Iniesta, a player I love, get the trophy but any unbiased fan will tell you Messi deserved it.

Iniesta celebrating a goal for Barca

My World 11:

Buffon

Arbeloa – Pique – Ramos – Alba

Xavi – Alonso – Iniesta

Messi – Falcao – Ronaldo

 

As you can see, that’s still 10 La Liga!

Also, Sergio Busquets and Pepe are unlucky not to make the final team.