Lionel Messi’s latest World Cup hat trick against Algeria has been used to argue that the debate over the greatest footballer of all time is effectively over. The article says the real question is broader, whether Messi is the greatest athlete in any sport, comparing him with Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. It insists the numbers, not opinion, settle the issue.
Since World Cup statistics have been fully tracked from 1966, Messi leads in almost every major category. He has scored the most World Cup goals, 16, the most assists, 8, the most goal involvements, 24, the most goals from outside the box, 6, the most big chances created, 16, the most key passes, 77, and the most successful dribbles, 112.
At 38 years and 357 days, Messi also became the oldest player ever to score multiple goals in a World Cup match, surpassing Roger Milla, who did it in 1990 at 38 years and 34 days. Beyond the World Cup, Messi is said to be the only player to have scored a hat trick in every year since 2009, giving him 15 straight years with a hat trick, unmatched in football history.
For Argentina in major tournaments, Messi has recorded 28 goals and 25 assists, figures the article says no one else comes close to matching. It concludes that Messi has turned the unbelievable into routine and that his status as the greatest footballer ever is no longer a matter of opinion but of fact.
