Lionel Messi has ensured he is recognised as the best football player on the planet right now, maybe even in the entire history of the sport, but that doesn’t stop people questioning his talents and whether or not he would or indeed could cut it in the Premier League. Now, I am not one of these people, but I have come up with a light-hearted list of three reasons why he needs to make an switch to the English topflight.
1) To prove he can cut it on a rainy Monday night at Stoke.
How many times have we heard this ruddy phrase? A player so incredible that he has broken almost every type of goalscoring record ever thought of. A man so talented that he has won four Ballon d’Or awards to put proof to the pudding that shows him as the best player on the planet. A player so amazing that he is widely thought of as the greatest player to EVER play the beautiful game, yet he would struggle to impress against a side who finished 13th in the Premier League. Give me a break.
2) To prove he is better than Cristiano Ronaldo once and for all.
When Messi’s abilities are discussed it usually sparks a debate with fans of Cristiano Ronaldo as to which of them is the better player. Messi supporters have the little fact of the goals he has scored, the trophies he has won and the fact he has been voted the best player in the world on FOUR occasions, yet Ronaldo fanboys think they win the argument with the fact that the Portuguese proved himself in the *cough* greatest league in the world *cough*.
3) To prove he can do it without Xavi and Iniesta.
Another argument raised when Messi is being admired is that he would be unable to perform without Spain internationals Xavi and Andres Iniesta behind him. “What if he had to play alongside the likes of Anderson and Tom Cleverley?” This is probably the sole reason he doesn’t fancy a move to the Premier League, so he doesn’t have to associate with some overrated oaf in the middle of the field.
Come on Lionel, do us all a favour and forget about Barcelona. Come and prove yourself, lad.