The G.O.A.T

Yes, I said it. Leo Messi is the greatest player to have ever lived and I'll take it a step further. It's not even close. First, I want to caveat the following by saying I respect everything Cristiano Ronaldo has done in the game but for me, he isn't in this debate anymore and it's because if his persona. The other candidates would die for the shirt and Ronaldo doesn't strike me as someone who would. I didn't disagree with the coach of Portugal benching Ronaldo but it wasn't because of his inability to perform at this level; it was because he wasn't willing to put others before himself. Those other candidates are Diego Maradona (RIP) and Pele. They'd both die for the shirt and proof is that they were battered throughout their playing careers yet still won numerous titles and broke records. They were also never benched at the international level on a stage such as the World Cup and had the respect of almost every player and coach the came in contact with. Despite their accolades, Messi is in a World Cup Final at age 35 and has been dominant. He's not a peripheral player. He's actually at the center of everything Argentina does. On top of that, he is still kicked lumps out of yet stays on his feet and rarely complains. The Argentina team may have struggled to get out of the group stage if it weren't for the mercurial one yet they're in the final largely due to his exploits. To become the greatest takes mental, physical, and intellectual strength and the ability to put oneself on the line for the success of others. Messi exudes these qualities in abundance. He's also rarely ever taken off the pitch due to the respect the staff and players have for him. I don't know what Sunday's final will bring but this past 4 weeks has been an absolute joy to watch and each time I've seen the great one, I've said and internal word of gratitude for this blessing: to watch the greatest of all time enforce their will on the greatest stage of all.