Puyol thinks Messi is The Best Player in the World

Barcelona teammate Carlos Puyol thinks that Lionel Messi is The Best Player in the World:

“I congratulate Ronaldo for winning, but for me, Messi is the best player in the world... I enjoy watching him every day, just like how all the fans enjoy watching him play."

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Robson thinks Messi will be best player in the world in 2009

Ex-Barca manager Bobby Robson has told The Sun that Man City need to sign Lionel Messi:

“He is the best young player in the world and there aren’t many clubs that can afford to make a signing such as this...It’s an opportunity that cannot be missed and if City want to be the best team in the world, then they need the best player in the world.”

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> The Best Player in the World 2009 (site)

Frey says Messi is the Best Player in the World

Despite all the hype about Ronaldo winning the Ballon d'Or tomorrow, Fiorentia keeper Sebastien Frey believes that Barcelona's Lionel Messi is The Best Player in the World:

"Messi is sensational and he belongs in another category. When I played against Barcelona he impressed me so much. Seeing him play is a pleasure."

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Laporta says Messi is The Best Player in the World

All the talk around footballing circles in recent times has been about the identity of the world's best player, and Joan Laporta has wasted no time in nailing his colours firmly to Lionel Messi's mast. Speaking after the match, Laporta said, "He is the best in the world. He is the most decisive player."

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Henry says Messi is from another world

Barca teammate Thierry Henry thinks that Lionel Messi is The Best Player in the World:

"Messi is the best. What he does is from another world...He is exceptional...After watching Arsenal against Manchester United, I insist Cristiano Ronaldo is one thing and Messi is another...There is no comparison. Messi deserves to win the Ballon d'Or this year."

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Lippi votes for Messi

Italy's World Cup winning manager Marcello Lippi has publicly cast his vote this year's Best Player in the World:

"For me the candidates for the Ballon D'or are just three: Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres and Messi. They could have done without the rest...As for who is the best in the world, in my opinion it's Leo Messi."

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Henry says Messi is the best

"I have the possibility to watch Messi in training each morning, and because of what he demonstrates he is the best player in the world."

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Joe Cole thinks that Messi is better than The Best Player in the World

He's still The Best Player in the World based on our yearly ranking but Chelsea's Joe Cole thinks that there is at least one better player than Cristiano Ronaldo: Lionel Messi:

“I think they are both great players. Ronaldo has been fantastic, but Messi showed in the semi-final that he is the top man...If we could sign him I'd love to play with him. He is only 20 as well, just imagine how good he will be in the next 10 years.”

Now this just may be a case of head games heading into Chelsea's Champions League clash with Cristiano's United but it still counts as a vote for Messi in our books.

Of course it won't hurt his case if Ronaldo becomes a Champions League winner next Wednesday while Messi sits on the sidelines with eliminated Barca. Messi was the best player on the pitch when his team were eliminated by United but its the opinion of many that all Ronaldo has to do is win the Champions League to have the right to be called The Best Player in the World.

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Comment: "The Best Player in the World" title is more about "likeability" than anything else

I was blogging somewhere else when I came upon this realization about The Best Player in the World title:

"Right. The kid (Messi) gets injured a lot. Strangely after all of this discussion Goal.com is speculating that Luca Toni could win the Ballon d'Or. But I think that trophy is something different from what we're talking about here. "The Best Player in the World" is about something more than a checklist as you find with the Ballon or the FIFA Player of the Year. There is almost something personal about this term, this title of The Best Player in the World; it almost about how people "feel" about a player. It is powerful because it is a term used casually in conversation and comes naturally from people.

I just don't know if Mourinho is right in saying that Ronaldo needs to win the Champions League to be considered The Best Player in the World.

For me it's about really "liking" a player. And right now I think the world "likes" Messi better than Ronaldo. And that's why Messi needs to play more. For the more he plays, the more likely it is that the world will like him more than any other player."

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Lawton says Messi was dominant player

"The implications of a Barça strike on United's psyche were not pretty to contemplate at such an early point of the proceedings and it was as though the entire stadium produced a collective gulp. Messi was that dominant as the focal point of attack in a Barcelona who once again seemed intent on passing United to the verge of a coma...Messi refused to stop his quest and in stoppage time remained a one-man source of agitation to Ferguson's heart...Ronaldo? The man whose absence from the vital Premier League challenge at Stamford Bridge caused so much tactical debate, so much questioning of Ferguson's judgement, was in truth not much more than a spectator. If destiny called to him, it found that on this occasion he wasn't at home."

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Ronaldo onto Moscow but Messi is The Best Player in the World for one day

In a week where manager Jose Mourinho stated that Cristiano Ronaldo needed to win big trophies to be considered The Best Player in the World, it was Lionel Messi who ruled the day in Manchester.

Best Player? Emphatically.

Best Player on Best Team with Best Manager though?

Not.

Still, what a player. We don't think that Jose Mourinho should be dictating the terms of an "individual" title. He is only about Collective Conquests which flout rules and laws.

But the Best Player? He is only about...beauty. Pure beauty. And today that beauty was more Messi than Ronaldo.

"According to his peers in England, Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo remains the Premier League’s outstanding player but when it comes to the world stage he may still have to bow to Lionel Messi...It is Ronaldo not Messi who will grace the final of the Champions League after the Portugal international, voted the Player of the Year by his fellow players for the second year running, helped United to overcome Barcelona in their semi-final...No-one, though, could have done more than Messi to try to influence the second leg at Old Trafford on Tuesday—apart from Paul Scholes who scored the only goal of United’s 1-0 victory...The 20-year-old Messi, three years Ronaldo’s junior, was the outstanding attacking player on show and almost single-handedly led Barcelona’s attempt to claw back Scholes’s early goal and take the 2006 winners through to Moscow with an away goal...Though United defended well, they could hardly lay a finger on the bewitching winger who rode tackle after tackle to try to create the decisive opening...One typically elusive run and shot in the first half had Edwin van der Sar at full stretch to save. Thereafter, the Argentina international picked and probed at the United back line to create openings for team mates which they were unable to take."

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Capello not yet convinced Ronaldo is The Best Player in the World

From an interview with Spanish sports newspaper Marca, Capello "mentions" Ronaldo and five other players as being deserving of the title of The Best Player in the World:

"Capello has also been impressed by the free-scoring Cristiano Ronaldo, but is not yet convinced that he is the best player in the world.

He said: 'He is one of the best, but on that list you have Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka, Alexandre Pato, Cesc and Wayne Rooney.' "

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Times Online: Messi outplayed The Best Player in the World

The Times Online post-match ratings for Ronaldo and Messi after the Champions League semi-final between Barca and United:

8/10

Lionel Messi Worked the magic that has made him one of the most coveted players in the world. His passing was something to behold and Evra and Brown would have been glad to see the back of him when he was substituted.

6/10

Cristiano Ronaldo What a statement United’s talisman would have sent out had he converted his penalty. Instead, he missed and was overshadowed by Messi, who may yet have a say in where the World Player of the Year award goes.

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Guardian splits The Best in the World vote

Gerry Armstrong Former Northern Ireland striker, now La Liga commentator for Sky Sports votes for Ronaldo, while former England striker Trevor Francis votes for Messi and says:

"We do tend to get a bit carried away in this country when we are praising players."

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Sid Lowe thinks The Best Player In The World would be Messi if not for injuries

"I heard Sid Lowe say on Football Weekly that if it wasn't for injuries Lionel Messi would be streaks ahead of everyone else as the best player in the world. I couldn't agree more. I would go one step further though and say that despite his injuries, I still think Messi is easily the most perfect footballer on the planet. Ronaldo and Messi will square up in just over a week, with Ronaldo having a much easier task, what with him facing a terribly inept Barcelona defence deprived of their best defender (who isn't even that good anyway). This should be a good opportunity for Ronaldo to display his talents, and if he does so I will praise him for it. However, if he plays a bit rubbish but scores some form of goal, can I ask that people don't harp on about him answering his critics with another big performance in a big game. That would be much appreciated."

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Best player has been injured: Messi

"Messi will be back for the United games. Barca are woeful at the moment because the best player in the world is currently injured. When he’s back they will be back. Barca rely a lot on Messi like United rely a lot on Ronaldo but Barca need Messi more than United need Ronaldo."

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Doug Gratton's Votes for Best Player in the World

"Just to compound my misery United are currently in sublime form and in Cristiano Ronaldo apparently have the best player in the history of the game, EVER! According to the ever neutral and impartial Clive Tyldesley, at least. Incredibly ITV have also commissioned a programme entitled Cristiano Ronaldo: The Story So Far. The story so far?! He's only 23, for crissakes! What the hell will they cover? I presume it'll be a brief show (similar to the one he put in against City at Old Trafford recently); one assumes the lurid tabloid tales will be glossed over, in much the same way as his hair. He may well be the best player in the world (well, after Lionel Messi. And Kaka, of course) but he'll always be a thin Pat Butcher lookalike to me."

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Van Nistelrooy thinks Ronaldo will be best

Former United Striker, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, now of Real Madrid, thinks that Ronaldo can be The Best Player in the World:

"The Holland striker believes that Ronaldo is in the same bracket as Kaká, the AC Milan superstar, and Lionel Messi, the Barcelona wunderkind. 'If he carries on like this he'll be the best player in the world...He's got everything.' ”

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Ronaldo needs to go to La Liga to prove himself

Dexy wants more from Ronaldo. He nominates two more players for 2008 and beyond. This post provides us with three votes:

"This may be why i’ve been feeling more and more empty by his performances. A move to Spain will give him extra incentive to display his full array of skills and potential. A move to Spain will also see him pitched up against, in my view, his two main rivals for the title “best player in the world”. The Barcelona pair of Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. For me, Messi is a player that comes along once every 50 years and will be, fitness permitting, without parallel in the world game for over a decade. If one player in the world can rival Messi though, it is Cristiano Ronaldo. However, I believe he needs to be tested more frequently to push himself to the next level. Unfortunately for all Premiership fans this may mean a move to La Liga to set up a mouthwatering head to head with the little Argentine. If this does happen, there can be no argument that English football will be a poorer place without him."

Source > 25.03.2008