Is Messi a Yogi ?

Till Dec 18, 2022, my son always asked me, “Is Lionel Messi better than Diego Maradona? And to his disappointment, I always replied in the negative and said that they cannot be compared.?

After the world cup final match, my son stopped asking me the question. He has declared that Lionel Messi is the greatest football player and is the GOAT. The world cup final was one of the most exhausting matches I have ever seen. Thanks to Mbappe and Messi, we witnessed one of the most exhilarating works of genius. The twists in the game were no less than a racy thriller with twists and turns at every reel.?My son is an ardent Messi fan and was literally in tears after 90 minutes and recouped himself only after Messi scored another goal in 108’.

I am always biased about Diego Maradona, as it makes me nostalgic and takes me back to the fond memories of watching football along with my father in 1986. My interest in football stayed till my father was alive. It had eventually waned and now it has got rekindled as my son has started playing football. Playing football or any sport together as a family or even within the workplace is always good.

I am not a professional football player to make a judgment on who is better, and I will desist from that. Legions have already been written by experts about Lionel Messi and his quiet leadership skills, however, what intrigued me about Lionel Messi and convinced me that he was more than a GOAT was an interview, which I saw only two days back.

Messi was asked 3 questions and he had 3 seminal answers.

Question 1: Not for talkers, just for doers. How well does that statement represent Lionel Messi?

Messi: Honestly a lot. I am always trying to play, do my job, and put all my focus and dedication into that.

Question 2: You have always said that you don’t play football for the trophies and the glory, but at what age would you say that winning awards and being successful became important as well?

Messi: Well, I don’t think I have done anything decisive to achieve success or win titles. It comes when God decides and chooses, there is no fixed time. It happens when it has to happen

Question 3: How would you like Lionel Messi to be remembered?

Messi: I don’t know. I don’t think about it at all. In the end, everyone will remember and think of you what they want. And they are free to do so.

After winning the World Cup Final, Messi was quite self-measured in expressing his joy. He did not go over the top like Martinez during the awards ceremony, though as a goalkeeper,?he played an exemplary role in playing mind games during the penalty shootout. Post the world cup win, Messi told TyC sports.

“Look what it is, it’s beautiful, I wanted it a lot. God was giving it to me, I had a feeling that it was this, we suffered a lot, but we got it. I wanted to close my career with this, I can’t ask for anything anymore. Thank God, he gave me everything. Closing almost my career like this, it’s impressive. After this, what will there be? I was able to get the Copa America, World Cup…It came to me almost at the end. I love football, what I do. I enjoy being in the national team, and the group, and I want to continue living a few more games being a world champion”.

I was astonished by the depth of these answers and more than his football, I have become a diehard fan of Messi for his yogi wisdom. For the past few days, I have been brooding over a workplace challenge, however, Messi’s answer to how he would like to be remembered made me feel very silly over my brooding. It is best to do our work do the talking, keep moving forward, exceed our best, and leave the decision to God.??

Messi’s secret arsenal is the mental fortitude of a Yogi.?Finally, to close this note, I asked ChatGPT to pen a poem on Messi

Messi, a man with a gift from above

A talent that comes from the hand of God

He dances on the pitch with such grace and skill

A true master of the game, he always will

His footwork is a wonder, his passes precise

His goals are a thing of beauty, they’ll take your breath away

He is a joy to watch, a true artist at play

A man who lights up the pitch in every way

He comes from Argentina, a land of soccer stars

But he has risen to the top, above them all

With Barcelona, he has won titles and set records ablaze

His talents know no bounds, it is truly amazing

Messi, a name that will live on forever

A legend of the game, a true soccer treasure

His legacy is solid, his place in history secure

He is a man blessed by God, of this there is no doubt, no doubt