There is a Church of Maradona in Argentina with 120,000 members, but rumor has it that the Church of Leo Messi has opened its doors and its membership may soon reach into the millions. I’ve lost track of how many hat tricks, foot tricks, long-distance surface-to-air missiles, slaloms, chips, far-post benders, headers and assists Barcelona’s King of Football has given us. Pure joy.
There is hope that the hyper-fit, inverted pyramid, cynical and suffocating football so dominant in recent times will not completely silence the magical qualities of the beautiful game.
Yes, I have had a soft spot for Barca ever since my brother took me to see Sandro Ciotti’s Il Profeta del Gol — a film about Cruyff with jaw-dropping goals from his azulgrana days — but what Messi is giving us transcends football loyalties. Simply put, Messi is why I love football. Venite adoremus . . .
5 replies on “The Church of Leo Messi is Open!”
On the theme of churches, Diego Maradona apparently said Messi is so good that he is practically ‘playing kick-about with Jesus’ 🙂
I think Messi will carry Argentina in South Africa, much like Rooney will with England (so long as Ferguson doesn’t get him injured again first!)
If only Argentina had a competent manager, Messi would take the tournament by storm and Argentina could be unstoppable. Fortunately, for the rest of us footballing mortals, he will be hampered by questionable tactics and team selection.
If Messi is playing football with Jesus, what position does Jesus play? And that’s assuming he likes to play football in the first place. Maybe he’s more of a golfer?
I know of some Orlando Pirates fans in South Africa who want their chairman to open up his chequebook to get Messi to play for them and I don’t think they’re joking…
Religion and ritual are a big part of football. Maybe that is why we like to put Messi in the company of prophets . . . And Jesus was definitely not a golfer!!!
Op-Ed by Kelly Candaele
Los Angeles Times, 26 September 2011
“Lionel Messi, the king of futbol”
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-candaele-soccer-20110926,0,6894046.story
The Church is getting crowded! In December 2012 Messi breaks Gerd Muller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year.
JerĂ© Longman in the *New York Times* (11 December 2012) reminds lay readers that “Messi’s Brilliance Transcends His Numbers” — he thrives where arithmetic and magic intersect:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/sports/soccer/messis-brilliance-transcends-his-numbers.html