I would also want to mention that Messi not only gives those assists or scores those goals, he also creates those plays that end in assists or goals (not waiting for those plays, he makes those plays!!!). And that is the big difference between Messi and the rest of the pure forwards or pure wingers. Messi is also a playmaker from another planet. Offensively, EVERYTHING is historical about Messi. Best playermaker, best dribbler, best passer, best assister and best goalscorer. In every historical offensive chart is top1-top3. His game is from another planet. Assist 2º and 3º Messi also creates almost alone the play.
THE KING LEO MESSI 👑🐐👑👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐🐐🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑👑❤️🐐👑👑❤️🐐🐐🐐🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑 FANS FROM INDONESIA 🇮🇩🇦🇷🐐🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑👑❤️🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐🐐🐐👑🐐👑🐐👑🐐
But CR7 claim that he's better than any other football player in the history of football he's better than Pele ,Maradona n messi. Even CR7 fan n other football media n pandit believe that CR7 doesn't need to win world cup and trophies because he's the only Goat
Since he began playing, he has consistently cast a shadow over every major player, from esteemed midfielders like Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets to renowned forwards such as Neymar, Etoo, Henry, and countless others.
Rojas too, Rojas to me deserves a lot of credit. Not to discredit Messi of course, but inter miami’s first two goals were all due to Rojas. He scores a lovely shot for the first goal, and closes down the defender for the second which turns over possession and leads into suarez assisting Messi. Tata Martino with a wonder substitution
I grew up in the states playing highly competitive soccer my entire life. I was blessed to be able to watch Messi's entire career. Literally since 2008 (I was 12 years old at that time), I'd honestly say I've watched more than 99% of all games Messi has played. I really appreciate this video and breakdown because I have the same awe and astonishment as you do at the minute details of Messi's genius. When I talk to my friends who are perhaps more casual viewers, they obviously don't understand or care at this level. But truly outside of the obvious goal/assist numbers and mazy dribbles, the reason Messi is so clearly the GOAT is that he does all of the little things at such an unattainably high level. Every single touch and hesitation and pass has a specific purpose and he executes at the most ridiculous consistency. We will never see a player of this quality again in our lives. Cherish every single second. I'm truly scared for when he retires because I don't think I'll be able to enjoy the sport I love in the same manner as I have the past 27 years of my life.
I was all into cricket basically sachin Tendulkar until 2006 when my brother introduced me to messi., i was 14 then And i never looked back. Watched almost 95% of his games till the 2014 final. And after, i've seen almost 75% of his games. To me he is godly. I assume even gods are proud of themselves seeing him play the game. I'm sure they tell each other " we did a good job making him play football".
You are absolutely right. As a soccer player watching Messi plays is like watching a soccer artist performs on a theatrical stage, only that is an open field instead.
The fact that America is watching Messi at the dawn of his career...., the things he's done in the past 15 years are mind blowing! These things you are seeing right now are every day things in Messi's world my man! I am glad we can still enjoy him.
You've changed my mind about the GOAT. Pele is like Babe Ruth - in a special category because he was not only the GOAT for a long time, but also changed the way the game was played by showing what was possible.But Messi has taken it to another level
Thats not fair to Ronaldo. He is probably the most lethal finisher in soccer history, probably better than Messi in this aspect. But Messi is an Alien. He makes the play happen.
@andrewhabroad Ronaldo isn't a better finisher than Messi tho. He has more goals because he's played over 100 games more. Messi has a better chance converting ratio, better shot accuracy, and a better goal-to-game ratio than Ronaldo.
Frank Lampard once said that Messi is the best ball passer he has ever seen, and that's coming from one of the best English middle fielder. That pass, though, is unbelievable. It shocked me. A pure beauty, the speed, the weight, the spin, the direction, the execution.. All perfect. It's almost the same pass he did against the Netherlands in the WC.
I did not start watching soccer until the World Cup. I just stumbled on it and was fascinated. Immediately I started rooting for Argentina. Just followed my heart. And I have not stopped watching and following soccer. As a a point of reference I am a female and 53 years old. Thank you for your channel. Your reactions and explanations have helped me understand why I feel what I feel when I am watching him in play. I don’t have the words but intuitively I recognize someone who is just otherworldly and just inspiring. When I watch him it’s like hearing the sermon that I need to hear, and to know that anything is possible. I guess Messi is my Church.
@@ItsCalledSoccer In Spanish it's called 'pase de tres dedos' (a three-toe pass). If you watch carefully, he hits the ball with the smaller side of his foot and on a chamfer, using only three toes. This enables him to get his boot well under the ball and flick his ankle to give that spin. All in a split second. The skill it takes to pull that off with that precision is outrageous.
he does a similar thing at the beginning of a game when he was with PSG. They scored in the first 8 seconds. Game starts, pass back to Messi, Mbappe is running straight at the goal. Messi puts the ball in the air with backspin. It has enough pace to get over the defender, but when it hits the ground, it loses forward velocity and the goalkeeper can't get to it. It sets up perfectly for Mbappe who just dinks it over the goalie. Sublime. There are few things in the world better than being a Messi fan. Be a fan of Messi because he will reward you with happiness more often than any other athlete.
@@S0ulinth3machin3 I was very impressed that, that pass was not for Mbappe, it was for a 37 years old slow Suarez. I was impressed how much Suarez was making efforts to run his old fat ass to the ball. The ball was astoundingly precise.
Leo Messi is truly a gift to football. I’m glad the US public, with their enthusiasm and ability to compliment articulately, are now witnessing it first hand. He literally stops me in my tracks when I see him play, turns nothing into something time and time again. The best to ever play is no understatement.
Thank you so much for this. He is the only footballer who can make me cry with the beauty and sheer impossibility of his game. Sometimes I comfort by simply.saying to myself: tne ball loves him.
For all of those that hate Messi, let me remind them that he has been doing that to players from all pver the world since he was 5-6 years old. He did it to every single team he played against.
4:47 pass is something that no other man on earth, player/fan/enthusiast, would ever think as a possibility.... ask anyone, stop-frame before he kicks the ball and ask: where's he gonna send it - NOBODY would ever think that pass is an option. And he did the same thing at the world-cup. The fact that he's not watching the game on TV, not from a brids-eye angle, and he can see that line ??!!! just impossible, can't imagine, nobody nobody nobody but him
I think he has they avility to see the match from above as if he has a drone and other thing is that time slows down in his mind when he has the ball. I,m not saying he is Flash but kind of superpower 😊
@@TheAbdalla2012yes , agreed. The vision and ability. The imagination as well as the application. This pass was surgically performed , a masterclass but top of the passes was this one! It had everything, vision, speed, accuracy. The camel was threaded.
Lionel Andres Messi is the most mathematical footballer i have ever seen on a football field ... He does not play like playstation ... He IS playstation !! Check out the most magical goal (in my view ) that he scored against Getafe some years ago ...The only player to score such a goal was Diego Maradonna..but Messi 's one were more fast pace , spactaculour and he went through more defenders ... In fact , he almost went through the entire Getafe team to score the most beautiful goal in the camp nou ...
Simply put Jake he's an alien, he might not be in his athletic prime anymore but his talent and his brain are still there, to anyone saying it makes MLS looks bad, for years in Barcelona he was doing similar things in La Liga and the UCL, he's just that good, when Beckham joined he was a good player but he was never the best in the world, I'd argue his celebrity was bigger than his ability, where as Lionel Messi is the real deal, he's also still motivated and he chose to join Miami, you can see he's enjoying himself, im old enough to remember Diego Maradona but Lionel Messi is the best I've ever seen
Amazing breakdown. There aren't enough superlatives to capture what Messi does, and this is what some of his detractors are missing. They see these phenomenal passes and make the argument that anyone can make them, and maybe they can, but Messi does it with such regularity, ease and nuance that the details are often glossed over. Take that last assist for instance, for me it's the best, but it wouldn't appear so in normal play, most people would choose the second assist to Rojas, and it's still a great pass. But the detail behind that last pass shows an under-appreciated presence of mind and football intelligence that is second to none.
Anyone can make the pass that became the first assist. The rest of the assists, I have to correct you. Not anyone can make those passes. There's a few people who can do it. Two or three in the world, at best.
Messi is the Stevie Ray Vaughan of soccer. He is the channel of continuous inspiration that truly is from another place. I remember seeing Pele live playing for the New York Cosmos back in the 70's. It was indeed exciting to see the one who was in those days considered the Greatest of All Time. But it must be remembered that Pele had come out of retirement and was nowhere near the player he was before he retired. Messi, on the other hand, is still playing the otherworldly level of soccer he is known for. The lesson here is GO SEE HIM PLAY IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN. There may well never be another player of his caliber in any of our remaining lifetimes.
3:42 Oh, the timeless chorus of the uninformed, singing their favorite tune, "It's just MLS defenders, DUH." If these causals who just started watching football, spared a moment to educate themselves on the maestro that is Messi, they'd realize the folly of their superficial judgments. Consider this: Messi, in a single season, crafted history with a staggering 37 assists, setting this record against the greatest of La Liga's defenders back in 2011. Let's not gloss over the minor detail of the 53 goals he also netted for Barcelona that same season. Furthermore, with a jaw-dropping tally of 372 assists, he stands unrivaled as football's all-time leading assist provider. Not to mention, that magical pass that led to Miami's third goal, scored by Rojas @4:39, was a deja vu of Messi's wizardry in that World Cup game against the Netherlands which was scored by Molina. So Messi's brilliance isn't diminished by the league he's in; it's illuminated by his unprecedented records.
@@ItsCalledSoccer Well, it's a bit of both. And, based on eye test of how MLS defending usually works, I feel like a lot of teams playing Miami have been told to not touch the master, because no one wants to be that guy whose career is mostly remembered because he injured the GOAT and no owner wants to face MLS and explain why the broke the cash cow.
@@celebrim1 Ah, the enduring myth that MLS players are woven from spider silk and whispers when it comes to Messi, lest they shatter the delicate porcelain of the league's prized cash cow. A quaint notion, indeed, but reality paints a far less genteel picture. Exhibit A: Nashville's Lukas MacNaughton, who flirted dangerously with rewriting Messi's future over a tackle that, in the grand narrative, was a mere footnote, yet almost etched in infamy. And let's not gloss over the Redbull extravaganza; it was less a football match and more a collective attempt at Messi enclosure every time the man dared to cradle the ball. It's a spectacle that would've enlightened anyone who actually watched the game in its gritty entirety, rather than those who prefer to construct their opinions from the comfortable remove of highlight reels. So, before you usher us back into your fanciful, albeit imaginary realm where Messi is treated with the untouchable reverence of a Ming vase on the pitch, perhaps a comprehensive viewing of the first half, free from the selective amnesia of edited clips, would serve as a gentle nudge towards reality.
@@celebrim1 Ah, the enduring myth that MLS players are woven from spider silk and whispers when it comes to Messi, lest they shatter the delicate porcelain of the league's prized cash cow. A quaint notion, indeed, but reality paints a far less genteel picture. Exhibit A: Nashville's Lukas MacNaughton, who flirted dangerously with rewriting Messi's future over a tackle that, in the grand narrative, was a mere footnote, yet almost etched in infamy. And let's not gloss over the Redbull extravaganza; it was less a football match and more a collective attempt at Messi enclosure every time the man dared to cradle the ball. It's a spectacle that would've enlightened anyone who actually watched the game in its gritty entirety, rather than those who prefer to construct their opinions from the comfortable remove of highlight reels. So, before you usher us back into your fanciful, albeit imaginary realm where Messi is treated with the untouchable reverence of a Ming vase on the pitch, perhaps a comprehensive viewing of the first half, free from the selective amnesia of edited clips, would serve as a gentle nudge towards reality.
@@celebrim1 Ah, the enduring myth that MLS players are woven from spider silk and whispers when it comes to Messi, lest they shatter the delicate porcelain of the league's prized cash cow. A quaint notion, indeed, but reality paints a far less genteel picture. Exhibit A: Nashville's Lukas MacNaughton, who flirted dangerously with rewriting Messi's future over a tackle that, in the grand narrative, was a mere footnote, yet almost etched in infamy. And let's not gloss over the Redbull extravaganza; it was less a football match and more a collective attempt at Messi enclosure every time the man dared to cradle the ball. It's a spectacle that would've enlightened anyone who actually watched the game in its gritty entirety, rather than those who prefer to construct their opinions from the comfortable remove of highlight reels.
Another thing is Luis Suarez, which had 3 goals and 1 assist, in the Messi Goal, at the beginning he falls to the floor and basically send this idea to the defenders that he is Out, but as soon as the ball gets snatched, Suarez jumps up, gets the ball and throws it to Messi, and Goal. TRULY a masterclass by both of them.
If you play midfield, you'd know that putting backspin to your through passes is a normal thing but Messi did it at speed and with the outside of the foot. He did it to mask the pass because the defender is on him and trying it with inside of his foot would be obvious amd easier to intercept. Not to mention that backspin with the outside of your foot is significantly harder than inside of the foot. Amazing
@@ItsCalledSoccer Jake, the 2nd goal is vintage Luisito….i remember one game against Espanyol where 3 defenders were bouncing off him while he calmly scored a corker. After Leo, Dani Alves and Luisito are my favs
That one against Holland is one of the craziest assists I've ever seen in such massive stage. WC 2022 Messi was just fucking fenomenal to witness. Fingers crossed for this next Copa America, looks like he's sharp af for that one too.
I watched that game live. So much fun to watch. I was never an MLS guy but I now watch all the Miami games which is sucking me into what’s going on in the MLS.
i am watching nearly everygame, and surely every messi highlights for the past 16 years. messi makes worldclass players look like average. so he will make mls players look like amateurs, this is the goat of football by a big distance
@@ItsCalledSoccer he's not as fast as he was 10-12 years ago when he could outrun everyone even if he was dribbling. But I'd say that every other part of his game is better.
🐐 in Europe top 5 leagues messi has Most goals Most assists Most golden boots Most Iiffhs playmaker awards Most dribbles completed Most chances created 🐐what did u expect 😂
@@ItsCalledSoccer those are fake stats, Ronaldo is greatest, holds all the top " european league records, all the ucl records, etc..... you know nothing about football
If you played football or balonpie (the real name of the sport)you truly know how impossible are the things that Messi does, and in top making it look so damn easy. For those that say that he is doing it because of the MLS Lionel Andres Messi was doing these things long before he got to the MLS and he did these things to the best teams in Europe.
@@DanceySteveYNWA It is straightforward FOOT and then BALL. What they call football here is played with the hands and you need to wear armour like a freaking gladiator, that has nothing to do with football (well maybe because you could lose a foot going after the ball?) It matters not who invented the sport it is not SOCCER period.
Thank you for this great video. I love it when people get excited about Messi's wonderful style of play, which is also 100% effective. He is by far the most complete player the world has ever seen. He doesn't use his skills as a showman, he has no ego, he only sees his team and the game as it should be played. He brings football to the highest level of art, similar to how the exceptional artist Michaelangelo did with a painting or sculpture.
9:50 in Argentina we call that technique to kick the ball "three fingers" or "tres dedos", is when you hit the ball with the outer edge of your feet (with the smaller three fingers of your feet). Now, the kinda backspin effect it's a Messi thing xD
Hey, I liked your break down. For Messi's goal, I agree with all the points you made. Namely the timing and direction of the run, and the body posture faking he's shooting left and then actually shooting right. But what I would add to this, which is what struck me when I first watched it, was how Messi didn't do what most professional players do and try to control the ball to then shoot. Messi just shot on first touch, leaving no reaction time for the defenders and very little for the keeper. The fact that in that milisecond he thought about shooting first touch and also positioning his body to fake shoot to the left tells you the supercomputer he has in his head! Zidane said recently in an interview he did with Messi that he (Zidane) used to see things 1 second before everyone else, but he reckons Messi can see things 3 seconds before everyone else, which I think is a good explanation of what happens on the pitch with Messi.
Thank you for the breakdown on the assists. Very insightful. Messi’s brilliance is misunderstood by the vast majority. Really enjoyed the way you explained WHY Messi is so darned good, even if you can’t explain “how” he sees the game 😂😂 Keep the vids coming. Well done!
A couple of things, first thank you for showing clearly what is special about the passes. I especially think that the one where he makes the run to take the center back to the area and stops to receive the pass is an incredible play. Most of the media (or at least what I have seen) completely ignore these details where the "magic" is. However you cannot discount the quality of Luis Suarez. It was clear to Inter Miami that if the others players on the field didn't have similar advanced technical skills, these Messi passes would end up in the trash. This is why they brought Busquets, but mainly Alba and Suarez.
5:23 through pass is without looking. He looked up previously. Now he can make his move to the outside and pass back down the center without a glance up because he sees it all in his head. Reminds me of Magic Johnson driving the lane and making a no look pass to a wide open player to knock down a three.
The crazy thing is the run Matias Rojas makes. Mind you this kid showed up to practice one week before this game. They made it look like they know each other from birth!
@@juanchakra Matias Rojas is no kid. He's a 28 year old veteran Paraguay international who has played some of the top clubs in South America. But its still impressive, particularly as Rojas has hardly played this year because of his contract dispute with Corinthians (which is why he was available in the first place).
@@donviajero2580 I guess I said kid because of two reasons, one is his age relative to mine and the second to make a point about his "newness" to the team. Yeah at 28 he's probably been a pro for 10 years. I did read about him and his performance the in previous clubs hasn't been stellar. He barely scored, however he started to trend up last year, and I guess this hopefully is the place where his potential is realized. It was a good start and I hope his class shows, however I wouldn't be surprised if he fades away.
Zinedine Zidane said that great players are several seconds ahead of most players. He said that he was about 1 second ahead and Messi about 3 seconds. That is why he is able to make those passes and assists.
Well said, I also was in awe watching his assists. Good that you are not only appreciating them but explaining each one. Messi really inherently does things that it is practically impossible for an earthling can emulate at least one of them.
friend, I understand that you cannot believe, the supernatural talent, of this man, already at the end of his career, imagine that several of us Argentines, who saw from the beginning the magic that he is capable of doing, in the Argentine national team, in Barcelona, at PSG. We are still surprised, for the public, still young in Soccer in the US, it must be something natural to see him play. Greetings from Argentina 🇦🇷
We need to give credit to Suarez and Rojas too. Messi does this kind of amazing passes all the time, we got to call them "assists" in this match just because his teammates did not ruin them. In Barcelona his role in the pitch wasn't the same, but I can count many passes of him in PSG wasted by his teammates, and in Argentina are too much to count.
You are 100% Correct , Some of the best football players in the World already said he is the BEST . He is also humble enough & a team player to take chances and make mistakes , he knows the game. In a Country with so many Top Sports We will not know what we have until its gone , A ONCE IN A LIFE World Sport Player . God please watch over this older player & keep him healthy & Strong for a few more Years .
Great review of Leo! I'm so glad you can enjoy him now on your League. As an Argentinian, I feel like we are sharing, gifting, the best of ours to you. We didn't deserve him 'til circa 2019, when the whole country finally united in respect and admiration for him. But now, after the World Cup an all, I feel this is a truly gift we argentinians are makin to USA and to everyone who loves football soccer or sports in general.
@@ItsCalledSoccervery well done. It’s given me an even deeper appreciation of Messi’s skills. And yes.agree - it is beautiful to watch and magical and gives me goosebumps.
Yeah, being Estonian I was not really sad that Messi shot 5 goals against our national team :) Our team, being a weak one thorough history is additionally in crisis anyway. P.S. the second assist by Messi against the NYRB was unreal by the way.
Thanks sir for the analysis. I've to point one thing that'scombination. The last goal, you can Suarez started almost walking when Messi holds the ball. This relaxed his covering defender. On the other hand Messi relaxedeveryone😅. Then suddenly Suarez started accelerate and Messi did the magic pass. 🙏
I've been mesmerized by Messi for 15 years. This is the first video I've seen that even begins to make astute observations about the art and science of the goat. I was lucky to take my daughter to see Messi play the Red Bulls last year - we were 6th row, on Messi's side, and thrilled to see him score just meters in front of us, live. What a gift for the heavens! We will never forget this experience, and I too can't believe I'm alive to experience this guy!
We are so privileged to be able to watch such an incredible footballer in our lifetime, and not too sure there will be another like him ever.. Yes Messi the GOAT.
Always been a big fan of yours Jake and I always enjoy your podcasts. I really appreciate your knowledge and your enthusiasm. this video is one of the best I've seen that explains of the technical aspects of what makes Messi such an anomaly in the soccer world. TY!!!
Im sorry, but as an argentinian, I gotta correct you. Its called FULBO now, not soccer :) ... (Messi, even in Argentina, has an accent, like people from Alabama have an accent to people from Idaho... And the spanish word is "futbol" but he pronounces it as "fulbo"...)
😂 Your dis track would be so polite and thoughtful, jake. Drake would prolly laugh and agree with you. Love any frame by frame breakdown of technique and decision-making in this game. Hard to appreciate the skill sometimes without getting real granular with it. Cheers!
The thing with his assists is that he knows defenders are going to gather around him, that means his assigned mark and two or more guys who are going to help because he easily can pass one defender. That means 2 or 3 players of his team are totally free to get the ball and now one of those players is Luis Suarez. That is a problem that cannot be solved.
Great analysis! Especially your commentary of the last assist, I had missed that detail. Many people don't fully appreciate the genius of Messi because much of it is in the small details. It's not about unnecessary flourish, it's about effectiveness and making an impact.
This is a great way that a legendary player can help a lower league like our MLS. Not only can players and coaches get to analyze his moves on film and learn from him, they also get to play against and with him and get game speed experience. I hope this helps to bring up the league wide talent of MLS
As an American sports fan, I just happened to be in Germany during the 2006 World Cup when Messi was still kinda/sorta under the radar. He didn't play that much for Argentina that tournament but I do remember European people shaking their heads and telling me the kid was gonna be the greatest of all time. As an American, I nodded my head, went home, and forgot about it. 18 years later I think Messi might go down as the bestest team sport athlete (let alone soccer player) to have ever lived.
The last game before this one, Messi scored a goal with 5 small steps adjustments in one second! You can talk about that one! That’s unreal too! I don’t know how he could do that! That was really crazy!
Best analisys of Messi’s assist this week. The standout point is one I didn’t know, that is that one of the defenders is slated to go to Eutope. If you listen to the Mexican press it’s booh hoo he did it against an MLS team. Well, nobody else did and much less with that exquisite precision lke the one he gave to Suarez
Here's the report I referenced which shows Tolkin as the best U21 LB in the world. football-observatory.com/Scouting-report-promising-U21-talents-in-the He'll join a European club sooner rather than later.
I was a diehard Mourinho and CR7 fan when they were at Real Madrid, but after the 5-0 trashing of Madrid by Messi and Barcelona, I suddenly realized that Messi is definitely not a human being…He didn’t even score in that match, but he was outstanding in that game…He was overwhelmingly voted the man of the match for that game…What we are witnessing right now from Lionel Messi, might not be seen again in the next 50 years….I am yet to be convinced that this guy’s is human…That said, fans should stop talking down on CR7 in the comment section because what he has accomplished over his long career is quite impressive…Fans who truly love football, must accord CR7 some degree of respect….He has earned it…Messi is an alien, it’s quite unfair to compare him with human beings…He is an absolute A.l of football game…Mr Jake Landau, I truly enjoyed your submissions and the passion with which you presented you tactical analysis…I have liked, shared, and subscribed to your channel…Looking forward to seeing more contents from you….I am Messi’s biggest fan, but as a former CR7 fan, I still have utmost respect for him….
Messi takes you to a place with intention and then moves or throws the ball to the opposite place...it's something natural for him...maybe he doesn't think about it, he just does it
Messi plays his best when his teammates are reliable and can play at a similar level to his so that he can set them up & show his Alien-like level to us mortals who can't comprehend what he's doing. 🔥
The impressive thing about Messi is that he can pull off 4 unbelievable passes for assists in one half of a game. Other good players might get lucky to pull one of those in a game. For instance, Forsberg's pass setting up NYRB's first goal was downright impressive, but he wasn't able to repeat that feat. The crazy thing is that Messi didn't even get the assist of the week in MLS for any of those 4 passes. That honor went to San Jose's Cristian Espinoza for his truly unbelievable assist to Pellegrino in the Quakes upset win over LAFC. A milimetrical precise 40 meter grass cutting pass that had to absolutely perfect to not be intercepted by the defenders. A couple of inches either way and the ball would have never gotten to his forward. While its not the first time Espinoza has had an amazing assist, it only happens a few times a season. Only Messi can do that kind of thing multiple times every game.
Fact that he chose to bring his magic to US and not Saudis for 300 million, but gamble on popularizing football in a country that calls it Soccer is a proof of how much Messi is spiritually invested in the sport!