Messi. Oh. My. God.

I haven't posted in a damn long time but I saw something today that left me at once breathless and gleeful, despite the fact that Arsenal FC was on the recieving end of a truly legendary performance. The word 'legend' is bandied about rather recklessly at times, but it has to be said, it barely scrapes the surface to describe what was on display in Barcelona earlier today. Anybody who saw it will be speaking of it for years to come. It was to the point that I tried (in vain) to get our niece to utter her first word... and I truly wanted it to be 'Messi'.

There wasn't a lot in it from the standpoint of an Arsenal supporter. I sat there thinking that I didn't want to hear any moaning and whinging about referees missing calls or favoring Barca. I've grown weary of that sort of thing in recent years. The whole idea of 'we never lose, we only get robbed', or that piss poor excuse Arsenal fans always seem to bring up: that 'our' players don't get protection from the referees. Protection? These are grown men, for the most part, getting paid a handsome wage. They need protection? That just doesn't inspire much hope in me.

I also think it's absolutely pathetic that any acknowledgment of the other side's superiority on the night is now completely disregarded. What's so hard about admitting that 'we just weren't good enough'? Because, you know, only one team can say they're the best anyway. When it's all said and done, we ALL just weren't good enough.

I don't want to hear any excuses. I just witnessed the best footballer I've ever seen in my entire life. That's all that needs to be said. Lionel Messi is the best. End of story. He's also a damn sight easier to stomach than some of the other recent pretenders to the throne of 'Best in the World'. There's an air of humility about him which stands in stark contrast to the preening, posing, and downright unprofessionalism as displayed by one or two idiot 'geniuses' who seemed to be more concerned with their own personal glory than that time honored ideal which fans rave about: the love of the game. Of course, I could be wrong. In a few years time we may find out that Lionel Messi is a complete shite of epic proportions, say, like Tiger. But I highly doubt it. I'll put the new house on it; Lionel Messi is and will always be a football purist's dream.

Arsene Wenger echoed my thoughts during the match; that Messi's performance was so unreal that he seemed more like his doppelganger on FIFA 10, as if being played by a 14 year old geek hyped up on a gallon of Mountain Dew. I've honestly never seen anything like it. As an Arsenal fan I could complain about rubbish defending, but no, I won't do that. I could bring up the fact that Arsenal has been ravaged by injury (when AREN'T they?), but no, I won't do that either. None of that really matters. Messi would have slashed and burned anybody who was placed in front of him tonight. No, no bitching here. I feel lucky to be able to say that I saw one of the best of all time put in a performance that completely blurred the lines between sport and art. It was the stuff myths are made of and one that will be used as proof in those timeless debates over beers to cement the argument that yes, in fact, Lionel Messi was the best of all time. It may border on blasphemy, but I have no problem doing it, never have. I may well be a prisoner of the moment, but what I saw with my own eyes today looked like pretty compelling evidence.

Lionel Messi. Oh. My. God.