Messi

by Luca Caioli

  Unfortunately the debate doesn’t end there.

  It is 9 June: Barcelona-Espanyol, in the 43rd minute of the first half.

  Here is the commentary that was broadcast on one Argentine TV station:

  ‘Now it’s Messi.

  It’s Messi who faces up to the opposition,

  Messi to Eto’o in the area.

  Eto’o has his back to goal and is surrounded by four defenders.

  Eto’o takes the ball out wide to the touchline.

  Zambrotta …

  Messi couldn’t get there …

  With his hand, with his hand, like Diego.

  I’ll yell it anyway:

  Goaaaaal!

  It’s Diego! Tell me it isn’t! To me it’s Diego. It’s the same guy …

  He’s reincarnated, I don’t believe in that but … he’s reincarnated. There can’t be so many coincidences. Explain to me how two things can happen again in such, but I mean such a similar way, to two different men … Messi, or Maradona dressed as Lionel Messi, goes down, puts on a Barcelona shirt, and levels the game with his left hand.’

  And for those who are still in any doubt, here’s Michael Robinson’s commentary from Digital +: ‘He has scored two Maradona-style goals in the same season. The two against England – one against Getafe, one against Espanyol. He has repeated them both.’

  The Hand of God strikes again, with all its similarities and debates. On 22 June 1986, Maradona anticipated Peter Shilton, 15cm taller than he was, coming off his line. With his jump, Messi overpowers Carlos Kameni, who is 19cm taller than he is. Despite the protests of the England players­, Tunisian referee Alí Bennaceur allows the goal when his assistant points to the centre spot. Despite the technology available in 2007 and to the Espanyol players’ despair, Rodríguez Santiago also allows the goal. Maradona is reluctant to admit what everyone already knows, ‘that the Hand of God was the hand of Diego! And the same hand that also stole from England.’ Just after the match, Messi is only sorry that the goal ‘didn’t gain anything; it only won us one point’ and not the league. He celebrated ‘in a normal, joyful way for having drawn the match’. There is certainly no reason to be ashamed at having done something sneaky.

  Diego and Lionel, Messi and Maradona, the disciple and the master. Ariel ‘the Tiger’ Zárate, a 29-year-old from Entre Ríos, who performs in a group of four Argentine musicians, has dedicated a song to the subject, called ‘El Pie de Oro llegó’ (‘The Golden Foot has arrived’ – a play on Maradona’s nickname ‘El Pibe de Oro’, meaning Golden Boy). It goes like this:

  On 24 June in ’87

  A year after Argentina became champions

  A star was born, a new dream

  The Golden Foot was born in Rosario.

  With a magical dodge, a great, little player

  At seven in the juniors for Newell’s Old Boys

  Over here they turned their back on his problem

  And he had to emigrate and go to Spain,

  He made his second home in Barcelona

  And he made it, thanks to sacrifices and love.

  In 2004 he debuted with Barça

  And his dream was realised with the Under 20s

  (The Golden Foot has arrived!)

  (Chorus)

  Go for it Lionel

  The world is waiting to see you run again.

  We want to see the magic in your feet.

  (repeat)

  He has a heart as big as a lion

  When he comes on there’s hope

  The fans want to cheer his goal

  In a match with the sky-blue and whites,

  We cheer you on from every corner,

  The national team are hopeful,

  We want to see you with Argentina, as champion!

  (Chorus)

  Passion is awaking throughout the world

  We want to see you with Argentina, as champion!

  Now Messi has his own songwriter, just as Maradona had El Potro Rodrigo. Apart from songs, the similarities between the two have been talked about and written about numerous times, too many to count, even before that April 2007 goal. Lionel has always been compared to Maradona in one form or another. The first to draw parallels were his Newell’s coaches, from Enrique Domínguez to Ernesto Vecchio, via Adrían Coria. ‘I have seen him do stunning things with the ball, which not even Maradona could do at that age,’ insists Vecchio. Guillermo Hoyos, his coach in the Barcelona youth B team, makes the same point. ‘Messi is the closest I have seen to Diego. In drive, in determination. Leo single-handedly altered the outcome of dozens of games! He is like Diego, they attack him, they attack him again and he keeps going practically from the ground. You’d have to kill him to stop him. He has no problem handling himself. The ball gets carried along by the arch of his foot and the only thing he has to worry about is speed. He already has a good feel for the ball and he does it in a different way to everyone else.’

  Since then there have been many who have talked about it, in every stage of the Barça number 19’s career. River Plate ex-number 10 Norberto Alonso says, for example: ‘There are things about him which remind me of Maradona. Like the way he bursts forward explosively. And the speed with which he plays. But Diego had that game-altering vision which Messi lacks.’

  Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger has no doubts. ‘Messi is like Maradona but with a turbo attached to his feet.’ Nor do footballers past and present, like Eto’o: ‘Messi is the Diego Armando Maradona of the future’, or Deco: ‘He reminds me a lot of Maradona. Sometimes I hear people say that he should beware of the fame so that what happened to Diego doesn’t happen to him. But Leo’s situation is different, because he is in a healthy environment in which he is loved and protected.’ And Franz Beckenbauer: ‘When we see him run with the ball we are reminded of Diego Maradona at his best, with good reason.’ Some do not deny the parallels, but they have words of warning for Messi. ‘Between Messi and Maradona,’ maintains Héctor ‘El Negro’ Enrique, ’86 World Champion with Argentina, ‘there are two things they have in common: their running style and their speed. Diego has that run and that short sprint, which makes mincemeat of you, and it’s difficult to take the ball off Leo. On top of that, he doesn’t just shoot for the sake of shooting, rather, he looks for the far post and dodges from right to left like Diego. The bad thing is not that he’s compared to Maradona, but that Leo believes he is Maradona.’ Something that also concerns Gabriel Batistuta. The ex-Fiorentina striker and highest-ever goal scorer for Argentina says: ‘Leo shouldn’t try to imitate Maradona, he only has to be himself and do the best he can. Because otherwise, even if he reaches Diego’s level, he will only be seen as the second Maradona.’ The discordant voices are few in number, one of them being Pelé, although it is fairly natural bearing in mind the issue relates to Maradona. O Rei (‘The King’ – Pelé’s nickname) is convinced that ‘Messi is a different guy. Maradona used to come from behind. Messi is a bit quicker. On the other hand Diego was a better armed footballer.’ Another discordant voice is that of César Luis Menotti, ‘el Flaco’, selector of the Argentine World Cup 1978 team. ‘He is not the new Maradona. In Argentina, and in other countries as well, every time a kid comes along who has good technical skills and abilities and who is decisive, the whole world declares him as the next Diego. Messi is a very good player, left-footed, skilled, powerful, he plays for Barcelona and he’s Argentine. But he is not Maradona, he is Messi.’ Writer, journalist and psychologist Walter Vargas is categorical, maintaining in his book, Football Delivery: ‘Messi is not and never will be Maradona. I say he will not reach those heights, and I even think that it will be difficult for him to come close.’ There are many contrasting opinions. But there’s more: the Argentine Olympic Committee even carries out a study, overseen by Miguel Toderi, in order to scientifically compare the two players. The result? A truism. They show that Messi and Maradona share a series of physical traits: low centre of gravity, muscle mass, height, weight, development and, of course, they are both left-fo
oted.

  In these cases it is better to leave science to one side and stroll through La Boca, Buenos Aires, around the Bombonera (the Boca Juniors ground), to chat to fans great and small. Rodrigo, in his blue and yellow Boca Juniors shirt, does not want to hear or speak of the matter. He has seen Maradona play and he won’t hear of any comparisons. He lists Messi’s weaknesses, from his taking of free kicks to his vision of the game, and he glorifies Maradona’s gifts, asking his inquirer if he remembers the number 10’s first goals with the Argentinos Juniors. Let’s move on to Luis, who has a photo of Maradona in action in his completely bostero (Boca fan) shop, with the inscription, ‘Your children and your children’s children will ask about him.’ But then, while walking through the streets, you see some little kids playing with a ball. Two of them are wearing Barcelona shirts with Messi’s name across their backs. Julián, aged ten, the most chatty of them all, says emphatically: ‘I’m a Boca fan, but I like Messi, I like the way he plays.’

  Perhaps preference has to do with age? ‘In one of his most beautiful verses, El Poeta murió al amanecer [The poet died at dawn], Raúl González Tuñón writes: “Some people, the oldest ones, denied him from the start. Others, the youngest ones, denied him later on.” That is what happens in the footballing world generation after generation. And the same thing happens to Messi,’ explains Horacio Del Prado, commentator for Radio Nacional in Argentina. ‘The old folks who maintain that Messi will never reach the level of Maradona forget what everyone always says when a new superstar appears: he’ll never make it. They said that Maradona was chubby, too small and that he would never become a champion at the level of the greats. The great goalie Hugo Gatti was one of the ones who talked incessantly about how round Maradona was, and Diego scored four goals against him.’

  Let’s leave opinions aside and examine other reasons for the perpetuation of the comparison. It’s simple: ever since Maradona retired in 1997, the Argentines – and others too – are always in search of a successor. It’s not unusual, it always happens when a great player goes. First, time is needed in order to accept the dissolution of the legend, then time is needed in order to find someone who is reminiscent of them, who makes us relive the lost magic. And who makes us think back to old times – because memory is a fundamental aspect of football; because in order for a young player to sell, it is easier to hang a tag around his neck saying ‘New Pelé’ or ‘New Maradona’. That way everyone knows what we’re talking about. Often they get it wrong, the name designation doesn’t work, or the candidate for successor does not fulfil all the promises. As was the case, just in terms of ‘New Maradonas’, with Ariel Ortega, Pablo Aimar, Juan Román Riquelme, or the ‘Apache’ Tévez. It is a difficult crown to bear. Even more so when there are so many coincidences, as there are in Messi’s case: little; left-footed; grew up at Newell’s, where Maradona spent a brief stint; matured at Barcelona, the first European club to experience ‘Maramondo’; Under 20 world champion, like Maradona in 1979. And debuted with the national team against Hungary, exactly like Diego. And it is even more difficult when Maradona himself invites you onto his TV programme, La Noche del 10 (Number 10 Night) and singles you out as his heir. ‘Leo has been chosen to be one of the greats. Many think that he already is, but in my opinion,’ says Maradona, ‘he has hardly begun playing. He can give even more than he has already given and, when he does, it will be his moment.’ When they ask him about it in El Gráfico, he responds that of course Leo is the best current Argentine player, but in response to the next question – ‘Will Leo be able to overtake you?’ – he offers: ‘If it is for the good of Argentine football, let him overtake me.’ Despite all his proclamations and blessings, the old king is reticent to concede his sceptre. It is up to the pretender to show that he will grasp it with honour.

  Chapter 28

  A long career ahead of him

  Conversation with Frank Rijkaard

  An ashtray, a packet of tobacco, a can of Pepsi and he begins to talk. The former Barcelona coach is relaxed, he has no urgent appointments and he willingly speaks at length, discussing the little boy who debuted with the first team on 16 October 2003.

  You played impassioned games with Milan against the Napoli of Maradona, and you were Messi’s coach for five years. In short, you are the best placed to resolve the issue: ‘Is Leo the new Diego?’

  ‘I have many memories of Maradona – those clashes with Napoli, in the Italian championship, they were historic; but when Diego played in Italy at 26, 27 years of age, he was already made. Messi is still very young, he has his whole career ahead of him. I understand why many people compare Leo to Diego. They are both Argentine, they’re both little and they both have great qualities, but comparisons are always complicated. Back then, Maradona represented football. It’s clear that he was, and is, football. Leo is a unique footballer, but in order to compare him to Maradona we will have to wait until the end of his career.’

  And what about that goal against Getafe?

  ‘I have seen a lot of football, many great players and many more goals … I have to say that Leo’s goal against Getafe was one of the most spectacular that I have seen. It was a genuine work of art. I remember that after it happened I felt immensely happy for him, for the team, for the crowd; but, in all honesty, I wasn’t that surprised.’

  Why?

  ‘Because you see it every day in training, when he’s playing, you know that he can do incredible things and he’s capable of doing things like that.’

  Were you therefore not surprised by the discussion about the similarities to Maradona’s goal in the 1986 Mexico World Cup?

  ‘I thought it might happen. Because it’s true that they are quite alike, although I think Leo accelerates even more than Maradona. Thousands of clips of the two goals were posted on the Internet, and I’ve seen at least another twenty similar ones.’

  Let’s return to Leo’s debut with the first team.

  ‘Leo was already talented when he was at the youth academy, but you have to reserve judgement. You have to wait and see because the transition into the first team is fundamental. It’s the real test. Well, Leo surprised all of us because instead of encountering difficulties, his skills improved by playing with great footballers. In the Gamper [trophy], against Juve, everyone­ realised what the boy was worth.’

  What are his characteristics, his qualities?

  ‘It doesn’t matter if he is playing in front of ten spectators or 100,000. Leo is the same as always, he always feels secure and has the same desire to win. He is the boy who says: “Give me the ball, I want to play, I want to be creative, I want to show my talents.” And when he gets it, it’s a difficult task to stop him without fouling him. He is extremely fast, he has great ball control, an exquisite touch and he can dribble in a way rarely seen throughout the footballing world. And let’s not forget, he’s explosive, and although he’s not very tall, he is very strong. You can see it when he clashes with the opposition – it’s not easy to knock him down.’

  How has he changed over the years?

  ‘When he debuted he was a very well balanced person, calm, respectful and very shy. Over time, he has changed a lot, but without losing these attributes. Now he is more sure of himself, he is conscious of being an important player in the team. Everyone values him and he is perfectly aware of it. His attitude has not changed, but he is not the silent boy he was all those years ago. He is funnier, he likes to joke around when he is with his teammates or surrounded by people he knows … I have to say that from day one the team has behaved very well towards him, the group has accepted him. Sylvinho, Deco, Ronaldinho, they’ve helped and advised him. Great players always recognise a special player.’

  What kind of relationship did you have with Leo?

  ‘I care about him a lot. At the beginning, I felt he needed my sympathy and support, because of his age. Later on I saw that he needed it less: he knows what his options are, he knows how the footballing world works. He has assumed many responsibilities and h
e will assume many more, for his teammates, his club, and the shareholders. He is already mature enough to do so because he has developed as a person and as a footballer, he has experienced some wonderful moments, and some very difficult ones.’

  Like when he was injured against Chelsea and you hugged him as if you were his father?

  ‘To me it was a natural thing to do. I felt his suffering, I knew how important it was to him to play in that match. Getting injured is unbearable. The only thing I could do was console him, and say: “Don’t worry, you’ll be better soon.” It was a very emotional moment, very beautiful, although it wasn’t nice at all. But you have to deal with these things in your career. They are the things that make you grow, that motivate you to keep playing, to make it to the top.’

  Tell us some advice, or the most important advice, you gave Leo.

  ‘Finish the action: shoot, or cross it, don’t keep dribbling. Because there is more of a risk of losing the ball or getting injured. You can’t dribble for 90 minutes, nor can you dribble past ten men and the goalkeeper in every match. You can do it once a year, not every Sunday. That’s the advice I gave him years ago and it seems that he took it on board. He demonstrated as much this season: in many games he has scored one or two goals, or given a teammate an assist. In short, he has improved his football and he is showing his maturity. He needed to, because Leo sees a lot more than others do on the pitch. He can achieve more than others. What he can’t do is wear himself out pointlessly, not pace himself and not make a difference.’

  Rijkaard lights another cigarette and then, continuing his train of thought, adds:

  ‘There is a sense that Maradona used to transmit, and now Messi also transmits, the joy of playing. They are two people who have fun with a football. It seems that they are always asking for the ball … and they’re saying “Let’s play”.’