Lionel Messi Needs a Change of Scenery
Though he may not win the Ballon d’Or this season, Lionel Messi is absolutely one of the best soccer players on the planet. At just 27 years old, Messi is still at the peak of his abilities. Named the best soccer player in the world on four occasions, Messi has experienced a lull in his career recently. Last season, Messi failed to win La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey or the Ballon d’Or. By most players’ standards, this is acceptable. For Messi, this is one of the most disappointing seasons of his career.
Currently sitting one goal behind the record for most La Liga goals, Messi is running out of records to break in Spain. This is why it is a great time for him to make a move to another club. Last season, it appeared that Messi was losing his determination to compete for Barcelona. In fact, during a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, Messi ran only one mile more than the goalkeeper during the contest. This was not the first time that his willingness to run for his team was questioned. A new team would provide Messi with new challenges, opponents and records to chase.
Just imagine what would happen if Messi moved to another league. If he moves to the Barclays Premier League, any team he joined would instantly become the favorite to win the league. Imagine Messi joining up with Angel di Maria at Manchester United, Sergio Aguero at Manchester City or Eden Hazard at Chelsea. These partnerships would make the squad an instant contender for a league title and a Champions League trophy. The same can be said for leagues in Italy, France or Germany. How interesting would the Bundesliga become if Messi joined Borussia Dortmund? What about the Serie A, with Messi leading the attack for Inter, Juventus, Roma or AC Milan? The possibilities are endless.
At a certain point, a player becomes complacent with their current professional situation. It is not the easy decision to make a move to a new team, in a new country, with a new league, but it can provide a spark for the player. Messi is one of the best players in the world and has several years of exceptionally high quality soccer ahead of him. If he makes a move away from Barcelona, it would not only benefit him — it would shake up the entire foundation of European club soccer.
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