scored 200 goals for Barcelona. But the area in which Messi is unmatched is the dribble. He runs at top speed yet with three-quarter steps, allowing him to change direction quicker than any opponent. Because he is always the first to recover his balance after a tackle, he wins endless rebounds.
He also has the good fortune of playing in arguably the best club side ever. In his short career with Barcelona, Messi has won two Champions Leagues, five Spanish titles, three Ballon d’ Ors for world player of the year, and an Olympic gold with Argentina in 2008.
Yet his country has never found a tactical system that suits him. As of November 2011 he has only 19 goals in 66 internationals-- disappointing, by his standards. At the last World Cup he was thwarted largely by Argentina’ s incompetent coach, Maradona himself. If Messi ever excels for his country as he does for Barcelona, he could surpass both his little compatriot and Pele too. For more on Lionel Messi, see the profile in Simon Kuper’ s Soccer Men.