Why can’t Lionel Messi be the world champion

Suspension

The magical flea could end Lionel Messi’s career by beating France in the World Cup final. My sympathies are very clear – because for me Messi is a pompous and arrogant footballer like so many others.

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First of all: I was qualified to write this anti-Missy rhetoric by countless luncheon discussions. I often sit there with my colleagues in our sports department and tell them how much I hate Lionel Messi. And the Because to be honest, I hate Messi as a footballer Because I was so passionate about my discussions, I was asked to share them with the rest of the world. I’d like to!

I love soccer and thought I could participate in discussions with our sports editors, but my opinion has more to do with the regulars table. Not only do I watch games during the big tournaments, but throughout the year when there are only three points at stake in one of the 38 league matches. The Spanish league in particular has impressed me for years.

The eternal question in football: Ronaldo or Messi?

So it’s already clear that I’m not interested in the “Messi or Ronaldo?” came about. And yes, I’m a pro Ronaldo. And yes, this, of course, is the main reason why I do not begrudge Messi the world title with a single cell in my body.

The question “Messi or Ronaldo?” It has shaped many football fans around the world for years. For both players, it was already clear before the tournament that it would be the last World Cup. Both players have won practically everything that can be won at club level. They both lifted continental cups with the national team. Messi won the Copa America in 2021, and Ronaldo was European champion with Portugal in 2016. So it was relatively clear that the two wanted to complete their careers with a world title. A dream really exploded for Ronaldo. Although with his ambition I can imagine we will see him again in four years, but that is another matter.

Will we see Cristiano at the age of 41 in America in 2026? Well, then he’s probably more likely to be on the sidelines than on the field.Photo: Cornerstone

Now the World Cup title in Qatar Sandy will answer the question that we soccer fans and experts have been debating for several hours. Question who was actually responsible for ending the friendships. The question that divides all (football) humanity.

No, it shouldn’t end like this. The question of the real goat, the greatest of all time, should not be determined by the world title.

Ronaldo is more impressive to me

My opinion on this has been clear for a long time. For the past few years, Messi has been playing for Barcelona, ​​\u200b\u200bwhere everything is built around him so that the delicate, magical flea can feel comfortable. Players were purchased according to the development of the game, and the game system was adapted to it.

Unlike Ronaldo, who always changes his game system according to age in order to keep up with the best. After that, Messi moved to Paris to win trophy after trophy with a group of millionaires bought in the French League. Bravo, really incredibly brave to take on this challenge. After all, PSG owners’ money is only enough for national titles, not international ones.

Unforgettable how Messi said as a small package (intending to repeat) crying sadly that he loves Barcelona and does not want to leave. A few days later, the hand is on the Paris Saint-Germain crest, the shirt reads “We are Paris” and inside is a smiling Messi. Apparently, money will soon overcome the pain. After this transfer story, some people are really surprised that I despise Messi.

Ronaldo moved to Juventus in Serie A, which is a much bigger challenge. He became the top scorer of the tournament and thus also established himself in Italy. He was the top scorer in Italy, England and Spain. The “great” Messi is so far only in Spain.

So while the Magic Flea could rely on his talent as usual, Ronaldo continued to work towards his success. What Messi was born with in terms of talent, Ronaldo has always worked hard through his ambition. For me, the players can’t (or rather) really be compared. Both footballers are out of this world in their own way. What always seemed to me to be a kind of Al Jazira talent with Messi was, in my opinion, diligence and hard work with Ronaldo. He did everything to be where he was and was always up for new and real challenges. That makes him an even more impressive player for me.

Also, the fact that Messi has always fared better in the media than the “arrogant Ronaldo, who only cares about himself and his appearance”, made my sympathy run towards the Ronaldo camp. Which of the two has tattoos all over his arm and leg? In addition, Messi’s hairstyle fits at least as well as Ronaldo’s in every match. The Argentine would have liked to highlight himself at least as much as the CR7. I saw it again in this World Cup.

Example? In the semi-finals against the Croats, Messi made it 3-0 with a charming dribble. After the pass, Messi turned alone in front of the stands packed with Argentina fans with outstretched arms and allowed himself to celebrate. Only then did he turn to top scorer Julian Alvarez to celebrate with him. What does that tell you about his character? Messi received praise for his dribbling, while the media would have ripped Ronaldo apart for such self-portrait.

Ronaldo gets ripped off when he angrily leaves the field after matches and throws away his captain’s armband. The arrogant Ronaldo spoiled with victories. But the fact that he was striving for victory with every fiber of his body and doing everything for the sake of victory was forgotten. If he is annoyed that he has not reached it as required, he is called arrogant or selfish, rather than sentimental or ambitious.

With Messi the opposite. If things are not going well for his team, Messi is not the player who can drive his teammates back with ambition. Of course, Messi has incredible individual actions that can change the game. But if those things don’t arrive as usual, you’ll see him going even less than usual. But he is an introverted, calm, calm Messi who is not as selfish as Ronaldo and is therefore spared. Messi may present less of a target to the media due to his nature, but he is not a professional either.

Certainly, Messi is under a lot of pressure, which we also saw during and especially after the match against Holland. This is understandable, after all, an entire country would expect nothing less from it than the highest football trophy in the world. He must follow in Maradona’s footsteps.

However, scenes like that from the Holland game also show soccer fans who only watch soccer matches every other year what the rest of us have known for a long time: Messi is a narcissistic, arrogant, and conceited footballer on the soccer field. Like many others.

He has proven time and time again that, like Ronaldo, he plays for his name and not just for the team. Whether in Barcelona, ​​Argentina or Paris Saint-Germain. For Messi to be more likable and therefore better of the two is just beyond me. Of the two, Ronaldo is the player who has performed better in more difficult circumstances in their careers.

Certainly not many will be able to understand my opinion, which, as stated at the beginning, I can never change. But since it’s completely different, I don’t want to hear for the next 20 years: “Messi is the best because he became the world champion.” For me, winning a World Series title spells no better end to careers that lasted more than 15 years before that.

Messi is very humble Photo: IMAGO/Alterphotos

Yes, Messi deserved the world title after countless goals, assists and records. But Ronaldo deserved it just as much. So I can’t imagine anything worse in a final than Messi celebrating at the end and turning ‘perfect’. Messi should leave the stadium crying, just like Ronaldo did.