The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsLionel Messi was once again the centre of attention in a packed Olympiastadion in Berlin on Saturday, as Barcelona triumphed over Italian side Juventus to win their fifth Champions League title. The dazzling runs, the penetrative through-balls; the unfaltering composure, the killer instinct and the sheer, effortless ease with which he dances past his opponents are all attributes we have seen Lionel Messi demonstrate numerous times over the past decade or so. Ever since emerging as a fresh faced 16 year old in 2006, Messi has risen from strength to strength, surpassing the achievements of some of the greatest footballers to ever grace a football pitch. Many stars have come and gone through the Nou Camp doors, but the diminutive Argentinian remains the main man for Barcelona, and his name is now indelibly etched in the history books.
Football fans, players, pundits, managers and journalists will continue to debate the extent of Messi’s greatness, and where specifically he stands in the list of all-time greats, but the common consensus is that he is among the very best to ever grace a football pitch, and is one of the most naturally gifted players of all time. Here at The Sports Lowdown, we analyse where Messi stands in comparison to the greats of the game, and assess whether he really is the best the world has ever seen. Here are our top 5 players ever:
