In Case You've Forgotten: Messi is The Best

I've written before that Lionel Messi is the best footballer in the world. And yet this week, I was ready to anoint Wayne Rooney as the next best thing and was ready to use as evidence the fact that the second Lil' Wayne is out of the United lineup, United tumbles from first and lost the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal tie with Bayern Munich.

Scratch that thought.

As great as Rooney is, and he may just win player of the year with a solid World Cup, there is no replacing Messi.

Four goals. Today. In a Champions League game. Against a competent Arsenal team.

Game over.

Messi is the best and there's no doubting it. He's the greatest of our time and least likely looking star. He's short and a little dumpy if you squint hard enough. But the guy's got game; he's got the best feet and best balance in the game, and maybe the world. No one slaloms through a defense the way he does, and no one finishes the way he does. He's perfect inside the box, with deadly precision and a deft touch.

He's turning the world on to his style and even stoic Arsene Wenger crowned him today the best on the globe, after he humiliated the Gunners with four distinct scores for a 4-1 win today, 6-3 aggregate.

Wenger told the BBC today:

"I believe we lost against a team that is better than us and that has the best player in the world. Once he's on the run, Messi is unstoppable. He's the only player who can change direction at such a pace."

Next up in the Champions League is Inter Milan and I fear for Mourinho's boys. As stingy as they are on defense, they may be no match for Leo. Leo will guide Barca into the Spanish Classico on Saturday against Real Madrid, where again, on the biggest stage, Messi will try to launch Barcelona to the La Liga title. Both teams have 77 points after 30 games, and the winner has the inside track to the championship. Messi has never failed to shine in the Classico and what's to stop him this time. He has 39 goals in all competitions and a handful of hat tricks that make him the man of the match the second he steps on the pitch; move over CR7.

Messi is the best. Rooney has elevated his game, and as good as he is, he's no Leo Messi.

No one is.

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