True genius is every bit elusive as it is compelling. I know they are much closer to 50 than they are to 30, but try to imagine watching Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky in their prime today. It would be beyond great, it would be spectacular and particularly for those of us of an advanced age who remember those transcendent performers from some 20 years ago. There was no high-def TV back then, no internet and obviously no YouTube. There were some sports highlight shows but not too many. You watched their games, a little bit of post-game analysis, a DVD of their career highlights and that was basically it.
In these media saturated times we would be getting Jordan and Gretzky non-stop and for lovers of pure genius that would be manna from heaven. Well, good news travels fast which is why I am here to tell you that the genius of Jordan on the basketball court and Gretzky on the ice does indeed live today thanks to an unassuming 23-year-old Argentinean. Lionel Messi combines the indomitable will of Jordan with the uncanny vision of Gretzky. It's an unstoppable mix.
US soccer star Landon Donovan tried to put Messi into perspective for an America writer recently. 'If LeBron James went out and played basketball with high school kids - that's what Messi looks like when he plays against everyone else,' he said. 'And he's doing it against professionals.'
He stands a mere 1.7 metres, and yet Messi clearly towers over all around him. Two-time reigning world player of the year, the Barcelona standout has scored 103 goals over the past two years in 99 matches. This includes not only action in Spain's La Liga but also in the Champions League against the best teams in Europe. You don't even have to like soccer to like Messi because there are people who don't care for the piano that appreciate Beethoven.
Messi's latest tour de force may be his most impressive yet. Playing away to arch-rivals Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champion League semi-finals, Messi broke the deadlock after 76 minutes by deftly steering the ball in at the near post from Ibrahim Affelay's cross.
But 12 minutes later he would top himself by taking the ball 50 yards and weaving his way past four mesmerised defenders before beating the keeper for his second goal. Game over and, barring a miracle in the return leg in Barcelona, Messi and crew will be in London's Wembley Stadium on May 28 for a memorable final most likely against Manchester United.