Maybe I am just unlucky, but I have never seen him do anything decent. OK he seems to get a rake of goals in Spanish football, but as I would rather poke my eyes out with a spoon than watch that his so called special talent has been hidden from me.

One thing for certain he isn't fit to wear that number 10 shirt. Argentina should have retired it.

Go away.

Are you blind OP? Or just monumentally stupid?

This thread would suggest the latter

Not unlucky. Just blind. Unless of course you missed what he did in the group stages and last 16?

He had some close chances. Had one gone in he would be a hero.

Yes, he is. If you know nothing about football, obviously.

He's won 3 european cups, he's been utterly brilliant at club level, for me he's still as good as Maradona or Pele, my opinion doesn't change of him before or after this match. Screw those pundits.

This seems to be a case of Tall Poppy Syndrome. Messi is a brilliant player. Whether he is the best in the world is debatable, I would take Ronaldo any day. But Messi the worst? Come on.

I think that he is a brilliant player but NO WAY is he the player of this tournament IMO. He has had a poor tournament for me. What's about Rodriquez, Robben and Schweinsteiger.. All have been solid and excellent in every game affecting the outcomes.
I think they decided tonight to give it to him as a consolation prize!

maybe he hasn't been the best player of the tournament but he has been the best player for argentina and unlike other candidates he played in the final, has a runner up medal.

best ever? i prefer ronaldinho and real ronaldo over him.

I think he will be up there with the likes of cruyff, zidane, real ronaldo and a few others but not quite pele and maradona

It's going to be so good when the clueless and the trolls move in from football in a week or so.

He's not the best ever but he's in the top 3 players of this era. He is a fantastic player

You've never seen Messi do anything decent on a football pitch! Do you watch much football?

He's a great player but wasn't so in this tournament and has dipped recently - personally I thank playing at the highest level since he war a teenager has curmudgeon gin out (hopefully temporarily). He's also admitted he gets sick with nerves so may not be as robust mentally as other great players who were often more assertive and arrogant - the latter qualities alone went a long way in winning Germany the trophy.

Sums FIFA up that he won the Golden Ball over less commercially attractive players (many defenders) who are more deserving.

The reactionary trolls are out tonight I see. Just because messi has lost a world cup final doesn't mean he is the worst best player ever. What about the likes of Puskas, Baggio and Cruyuff. They lost World Cup finals and they weren't too shabby.

Look I'm not one of those who think he is up there with Maradona and Pele but you can't seriously think that the likes of George weah or even Kaka were better than him.

He's the best player of a generation, say the last 10 years, but he's not in the top class of Pele and Maradona.

You must be a fan of fred