10 - Lionel Messi - v4

[Catalan Fan]

900 is more realistic than him "only" reaching 750 goals.

Almost all of the biggest players throughout history have had a career of 20+ seasons, the ones that usually stop before that, does so because of injuries or lack of playing time (not being good enough anymore). Messi is a "God figure". A living legend. The best player of all-time. Barcelona will want to keep him for as long as possible and 8 more seasons, which would make it 20 for him, should be the least we should expect, if not more.

So let us assume he will "only" play 8 more seasons with us.

There are still 14-20 games left for him to play this season, he should be able to score 11 more, which then would bring his total to 510 goals.

That leaves us with 240 more goals to be scored over the course of 8 seasons, an average of 30 goals per season.

Do you honestly think, that he will only average 30 goals per season? I mean, really? Let me remind you, he is only turning 29 this summer. Even though Messi tends to play deeper, he still scores just as many goals as Ronaldo.

His goal ratio are at its highest in 3 seasons, what does that tell us? It tells us, that Messi now for the 2nd season in a row, are capable of scoring 60+ goals over the course of a season. This season however, he was injured for two months, so he probably won't reach 60 goals, but will likely top at 50-55.

Messi is showing no signs of slowing down, goalscoring wise and as long as he is showing no signs of that, then he won't be moved back into a midfield position.

Your stats are great and I enjoy looking at them and appreciate the effort you must put into them.

But.... I don't think Messi will have a 20+ yr career at the highest level.No players do and certainly not forwards.I suspect he will play deeper in the coming yrs (same as everyone else), with maybe another 5 yrs playing for Barca if we are lucky.

If we agree he carries on n plays in midfield, then he probably won't score anything like he does now.Maybe 10-20 goals a yr if we're lucky and that's without any significant injuries.

He'll keep breaking records in the meantime, but you cannot expect him to keep scoring at his current rate for the next 5 yrs or so, because it just won't happen, sorry.

 

[LordLichtenstein]

Your stats are great and I enjoy looking at them and appreciate the effort you must put into them.

But.... I don't think Messi will have a 20+ yr career at the highest level.No players do and certainly not forwards.I suspect he will play deeper in the coming yrs (same as everyone else), with maybe another 5 yrs playing for Barca if we are lucky.

If we agree he carries on n plays in midfield, then he probably won't score anything like he does now.Maybe 10-20 goals a yr if we're lucky and that's without any significant injuries.

He'll keep breaking records in the meantime, but you cannot expect him to keep scoring at his current rate for the next 5 yrs or so, because it just won't happen, sorry.

Thanks

Totti - 24 seasons with Roma
Giggs - 24 seasons with Manchester United (though he wasn't a forward)
Del Piero - 19 seasons with Juventus

Do you know what these players have in common? They are/were not the greatest of all-time. Messi is far beyond the likes of these players, so comparing him to others that came before is useless.


So let me get this straight, you think Messi will leave us when he is only 33-34 and that is if are lucky to keep him that long?

Drop the midfield talk, it won't happen.

I am not expecting him to score 55-60 goals every season until he retires, but expecting him to suddenly drop the ball completely and go from 60 goals to 30 goals in one or two seasons is crazy.

 

[Catalan Fan]

Thanks

Totti - 24 seasons with Roma
Giggs - 24 seasons with Manchester United (though he wasn't a forward)
Del Piero - 19 seasons with Juventus

Do you know what these players have in common? They are/were not the greatest of all-time. Messi is far beyond the likes of these players, so comparing him to others that came before is useless.


So let me get this straight, you think Messi will leave us when he is only 33-34 and that is if are lucky to keep him that long?

Drop the midfield talk, it won't happen.

I am not expecting him to score 55-60 goals every season until he retires, but expecting him to suddenly drop the ball completely and go from 60 goals to 30 goals in one or two seasons is crazy.

Fair play but he can't play forever, Barca won't be the best team forever.Great teams only stay at the top for a few yrs generally, then they rebuild (or not).That's an historical fact.

Am guessing you are fairly young ? Nothing wrong with that, but I'm am old git and I'm just happy to watch him (and this current squad) as I doubt they will be eclipsed any time soon.

Just enjoy him whilst you can

 

[Kohe321]

Messi's dribble vs. Bolivia

[gfy]NextFlashyAtlasmoth[/gfy]

Didn't score in the end, has clearly lost pace.


Sell.

 

[BarcaOG]

ya, no finish, sell pls.

 

[LordLichtenstein]

Fair play but he can't play forever, Barca won't be the best team forever.Great teams only stay at the top for a few yrs generally, then they rebuild (or not).That's an historical fact.

Am guessing you are fairly young ? Nothing wrong with that, but I'm am old git and I'm just happy to watch him (and this current squad) as I doubt they will be eclipsed any time soon.

Just enjoy him whilst you can

Well of course, he will have to retire one day.


Nothing in life is certain, except death. Barcelona has arguably been the best team in the world for nearly 10 years now, some might say longer, but the way I see it, it all started with Pep. But if I were you, then I would prepare for at least 5 more years.

I am 25 years old, so I like to think so, yes.

 

[Hardy]

[youtube]0S25rmcmxa0[/youtube]

That third goal vs Brazil

 

[Ritchie]

900 is more realistic than him "only" reaching 750 goals.
.

He's not hungry enough for goals to get that kind of tally.

Look at the Bolivia game (and loads for Barca this season) where there's a great opportunity to rack up an easy hat trick (the way Penaldo always does) but he'll just coast. That's all well and good, but it hits his goal stats.

 

[raskolnikov]

Messi cares about trophies, if he ends up with 40+ trophies, 700+ goals and 300+ assists, its all good right?
Take in mind he already has like 26 trophies while the record holder is Giggs with 36 I think, he will destroy that.

 

[LordLichtenstein]

He's not hungry enough for goals to get that kind of tally.

Look at the Bolivia game (and loads for Barca this season) where there's a great opportunity to rack up an easy hat trick (the way Penaldo always does) but he'll just coast. That's all well and good, but it hits his goal stats.

Hungry or not, he is still scoring 50-60 goals per season, so what is your point? Sure, we should not expect him to do so forever, but Ronaldo (31) and Zlatan (34) are showing next to no signs of slowing down despite being 2½ years and 5½ years older and inferior to Messi.

Messi having his highest goal ratio since 2012-13, just goes to show, that he isn't slowing down either, despite getting older.

 

[TornAndFrayed]

I agree. Messi's finishing skills will be put to good use until he retires. He might play as an attacking mid at times, but he'll stay on the right wing otherwise. Those xavi talks never made it for me.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Messi might play as a pure playmaker/nr 10 in the future like he does for Argentina in stead of a playmaker/forward hybrid like he does for Barcelona at the moment, don't think he will ever become he central midfielder like some think though.

If you only count official goals only 4 (maybe 5 depending on the source) have scored over 700 career goals with no player scoring over 800 unless maybe Josef Bican but his stats are incomplete.

 

[Vlom]

Hat-trick against Granada in January's first week.

Hat-trick against Valencia in February's first week.

Hat-trick against Rayo in March's first week.

To be continued ...

 

[El Flaco]

Quotes from Jordi Cruyff about if Messi is the GOAT during an interview with Omnisport

I like to answer these kinds of comparisons when they're done.

I think while a team is still active, it's really hard to place them.

You always hear stories about Messi. Is he the greatest ever? I think we'll be able to answer that the day he puts his boots aside, sits on the couch, stops with the game. Then you can start to make comparisons

While a guy is still playing week in week out, I think it's too early, even though it's quite obvious he will be right up there.

Reference: Goal

 

[raki]

Well taken penalty. Drive and powerfull enough. Keep up.