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by Philipina A. Marcelo
Just a couple of days ago, a feature article on FC Barcelona on The Economist has got me grinnin' from ear to ear. :) Today, I'm on Cloud 9 after finding a full-length feature on Lionel Messi in the Sports Section of NY Times, which remains to be my fave everyday news source. The article, "Lionel Messi: Boy Genius", contains nothing new for avid fans like myself, but it's still wonderful that NY Times features Lionel Messi while Cristiano Ronaldo picks up this year's Pichichi with a record-setting 40 goals in the Spanish La Liga. :) Many of CR7's goals though were from free kicks and penalty shots, I must emphasize, with 11 goals made after Real Madrid practically lost the La Liga title to Barҫa with four more matches to play, and Lionel Messi sitting it out on the Barca bench in preparation for the UEFA Championship.
The NY Times article described in colorful details the two magnificientfirst leg of Barҫa's UEFA Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid
A flea against three giants... and the flea prevailed! goals made by Messi in the in Estadio Santiago Bernabéu last month. Messi's brace of goals, which brought his total goal tally for the season to 52, effectively helped carry Barҫa through to the Championship against the English Premier League Champions, Manchester United FC, in New Wembley next Saturday. While Leo's La Liga total goals of 31 ranked second to CR7's 40, he made enough to help Barҫa in lifting the 2010-2011 La Liga Campeones trophy -
The Catalans - the 2011 La Liga Campeones!for the third time in three consecutive years with Pep Guardiola as manager!
Therefore, I say it again, "It is the critical points you earn, the manner by which the points were earned, and the quality of the points you earn that make you the best." Lionel Messi is simply the best in today's generation of football greats. Even readers of Time Magazine hail him as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2011... and he's only 23 years old! Indeed, I am absolutely delighted and proud to be living in his generation!
Visca, La Pulga! Visca, el Barҫa!
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Photo credit: Photos were grabbed from Zimbio - thanks!
