Here's the stats for possibly the best player ever, at the absolute peak of his powers. And yet, as ridiculous as it looks, there are still some aspects that could be given higher value. But before going even deeper with the stats, let's talk about Messi as a player, in Guardiola's last season as manager of Barcelona. Messi is basically getting into his physical prime during this period, he looks so assured and strong at facing physical challenges. It's absolutely ridiculous, it often took 5 challenges from 3 different players just to bring him down, only for him to get back up again, and run at the defense again. His body just seemed so resistant to tackles, which was the result of God tier agility combined with a low centre of gravity. His energy level's still very high, he could make ten dribbling runs in a game, and did it effortlessly.
In this period, Messi became a bonafide all round forward that looked like a blend of the greatest playmaker and goalscorer rolled into one player. His physical qualities are unbelievable, but the secret to his great offensive prowess is his great mind. Messi's probably the best player ever in terms of creating danger. He could basically do anything, in every situation. Messi has this incredible footballing brain and a deep understanding of the game, capable of finding multiple solutions to unlock the tightest defence. Even when he didn't score, he was always the main source of chances on the pitch, and the most dangerous threat to the opposition. He seems to have a clear view of what to do every few steps ahead, making him very difficult to play against. He's capable of seeing things on the pitch that nobody can't.
Messi probably has the best close control ever, and one of the best first touch ever. He could instantly kill every pass with his first touch. Even when running at full speed, he could just tame the incoming ball and continue his run. It will stick instantly to his feet. His passes are incredible and very consistent. He could guarantee 2 or 3 needle eye passes every game. That is an elite number for a real playmaker, let alone a false nine. His long pass quality is ever increasing and has started to reach an elite level. This might be the first aspect that could be boosted, as he was showing many orange worth LPA from this period. And then Messi also has one of the best shooting accuracy ever, if not the best, which has insane precision and placement. You just know when he gets a proper connection with the ball, it will end up in the back of the net or very close to goal. Not to mention the power generated from the shots, which sometimes looks very high. You could often see that he can hit it powerfully with no backlift whatsoever. This leads me to believe that he could have a significant boost in his shooting power. All in all, Messi had well and truly reached the pantheon of Gods as a footballer during this era. A truly terrifying and ridiculous yet beautiful player to watch.
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