The irony of having to defend Lionel Messi
By Eric Beard
You do know this is the same guy most of you have been in awe of all year, right?
It’s hard to find many cases more explicitly capturing the fickle nature of the neutral football fan (and journalist) than the double-standard that is placed upon Lionel Messi when he’s wearing blue and red in Barcelona and when he’s wearing blue and white in Buenos Aires. Messi had an average game against Bolivia in the opening match of Copa América, but let’s put things into perspective before something ridiculous is said. Oh, what’s that? Goal.com has already taken quotes out of context and mistranslated them in an attempt to portray the best player in the world as a despicable figure? (Note: Actual quotes in Spanish and appropriate context here) We’re too late!
It’s no secret that the Argentina fans give Messi a rough time for not getting his name on the scoresheet as often as he does for Guardiola, and the aggravation at times is understandable. But it is by no means unique to have your most talented player “underachieve” on the international level. England have Gerrard and Lampard. The USA have Clint Dempsey. Brazil even had their own example with Ronaldinho. The difference is a performance that doesn’t match the absurd hype that rises around Leo’s every move is met with disillusion. A vacuous sense of nonchalant, egomaniacal behavior is irrationally associated with the #10. When Messi was not being completely dominant against Bolivia it was his fault. The fact that Bolivian coach Gustavo Quinteros outsmarted his Argentine counterpart Sergio Batista with a man-marking system around la pulga and eliminating any direct threats toward goal? Well, clearly that’s just a sidenote. The main rhetoric here is Messi’s apathy for La Albiceleste! He doesn’t care. He’s lived the majority of his life in Spain! He never played for Boca Juniors or River Plate! He’s never even been decent for Argentina!
