The problem is that when Argentina doesn't play well - and the same is true of Barcelona - the press think it is easy to blame Messi. We have seen time and time again that he wins games on his own when the team is not performing - but the media expect him to always be the hero.
The team that wins two-thirds of its one run games usually wins the pennant.
It's like I was taught and I'm always saying it. Offense wins games, defense wins championships.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
The 2006 playoffs were such a rollercoaster for me. I was able to lean on God and know that no matter what things were going to work out the way they were meant to work out. I had that trust that allowed me to go into the games without fear. When I prayed before games, I was able to just let it go. When I played in game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, I prayed more that day than I have my whole life. That was a day that I leaned on the Lord a lot. It helped me to face some of my fears.
Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.
Without Messi there isn't a team for Argentina, Messi is brilliant, different, with a strong mentality. Let's hope he doesn't change.
Messi or Cristiano - Speed? Cristiano. Shot? Cristiano. Dribbling? Messi. Intelligence? Messi. Talent? Messi. Winner is Messi!
I was probably born a scorer, but I was made a winner. Whatever works, whatever wins championships, wins games, that's what I do.
Football without Messi and Messi without football are not things that go together.
It's very important that you focus on winning games and being consistent down the stretch. I think that's what we're focused on. All of the other stuff about who wins and who loses and how many wins do we need, if we're focusing on that, then that's not good.
Messi is a god, as a person and even more as a player. I hope that he wins the World Cup with Argentina.
Defense, for me, is where I really love to put work in most. Defense is, in my mind, what wins games.
I prefer that Argentina wins the World Cup. Messi deserves it for all he has done in football. He's my friend, I wish him the best
Having Messi in the team guarantees everything. He doesn't just score, he gives assists, and he works and wins the ball. He is the best player in the world.