Lionel Messi Is Back to Where It All Began

Messi

Messi

The five-times FIFA Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, and F.C. Barcelona have lost one of the best soccer players in the world with the departure of Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior. Messi finds himself, where it all began, as he must find a partner who is his equal.

There was a time when the diminutive Argentinian was running all over the field showing his magic to the world and winning games by himself. Today, however, Messi is still capable, but he is not the player he once was. He has transformed into a more mature footballer. Whereas, as a young speed demon, the opposite team’s defenders could not catch him.

Neymar’s Departure

Santos Jr., commonly referred to as Neymar, was an exceptional complement to the Argentinian. He has all the characteristics of the old Messi but with a different style. With that kind of talent, he was afforded the time to transform into a different player. He became a master of passing, comparable to the likes of Xavi or Andrea Pirlo, in other words, the old school.

Before Neymar, Barcelona had Andrés Iniesta to fill the spot and he was wonderful. With the Brazilian, they had another dimension, another level. They, alongside Luis Suarez, founded one of the sharpest offensives in the history of the game.

Messi had been left alone, between Iniesta’s departure and the arrival of Neymar in 2013. With the latter’s transfer, it is now the time to either find a replacement or for Messi to begin playing as he did in the past. Unfortunately, that leaves the team in limbo.

The Coming Days

What now for Messi and his club? F.C. Barcelona is one of the top soccer clubs, they will likely find someone with a high level of skills. Certainly, when the Argentinian was injured and unable to play, Neymar was there as a reliable source for winning matches.

The future is uncertain. However, one thing is certain, Real Madrid, their fierce rivals, look stronger than ever.

However, people cannot forget that Messi is a brilliant player that has much influence on and off the field. The Catalunya side’s talisman has reportedly asked Barcelona consider Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria as possible replacements for Neymar. He believes that both Argentinians have the ability to succeed at the club.

Even if Messi and F.C. Barcelona have to go back to the beginning, the rest of the soccer world should keep their eyes open. It is fairly certain that they will be as hungry for titles as they were in the past.

Written by Gian Torres

Sources:

The Telegraph: Why Neymar leaving Lionel Messi behind is the best thing for him
Sports Illustrated: Lionel Messi Suggests Two Players Barcelona Sign After Neymar Departure
The Times of India: Lionel Messi best player over 86 seasons of La Liga since 1929

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of DSanchez17’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

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