Messi is the Best I Have Seen in my Lifetime, Says Lineker
The 1986 Golden Boot winner assesses the contenders for the topscorer award at Qatar 2022
Unless Mbappe scores a hattrick or does something remarkable in the final, I think the Golden Ball will go to Messi. For the Golden Boot, it is in the balance – one goal could win it for either Messi or Mbappe.”
The man weighing up the potential winners of the big individual prizes of Qatar 2022 is Gary Lineker, who as an England striker with ice in his blood earned global fame as the six-goal top marksman at Mexico 86.
Today he is in Qatar fronting the BBC’s television coverage of this FIFA World Cup and, in this exclusive interview with FIFA+, he reflects on the performances of the contenders for the Golden Boot prize – the five-goal Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, and Julian Alvarez and Olivier Giroud, who have four goals each.
Lineker also explains why he considers Messi the greatest player of his lifetime – and why he is hoping for a “beautiful finale” for the Argentina captain in today’s final against France.
You’ve never hidden your admiration for Messi, so could you explain what you’ve enjoyed in particular about his performances here in Qatar?
Q:
Lineker: He came into the tournament in great form with PSG and there’ve been some breathtaking moments – the incredible goal against Mexico, the assist against the Netherlands, man of the match against Australia, obviously the remarkable assist in the semi-final for the third goal.
But it’s not just the assists and goals with Messi, it’s the little things that people perhaps don’t notice as much. When he is locked in by about three or four players and he suddenly finds a way to wriggle out; his vision in the way he sees a pass; the weight of his passing as well as his goalscoring. I think that’s what sets him apart.
You can only talk about people in your lifetime and I didn’t really see much of Pele as I was very young, but in my lifetime only Diego Maradona really can compare for just doing things that other mortals can’t do. You can compare people statistically in terms of goals – obviously Cristiano Ronaldo is a great footballer – but what separates Messi from even the greatest of players is that ability to do the things that others can’t do. Maradona is the only other player to do that and he didn’t do it over the period of time that Messi has, so that maybe gives Messi the edge.
I think with the weight of the world off his shoulders having won the Copa America, he came into this probably a bit freer to be able to play and Argentina probably over the last three or four years have found a way to win and a way that works for Messi.
It’s very similar in a way to the 86 team of Maradona – a very tough, uncompromising, hard-working side with a very good centre-forward like they had in Jorge Valdano and now have in Alvarez. It has really worked for them. There is just one step to go.
The Golden Boot side is interesting as he’s not an out-and-out goalscorer and neither is Mbappe whereas perhaps the other two are – Alvarez and Giroud.
Messi will be player of the tournament, I think, whatever happens because of the consistency of his performances. Mbappe has produced some great performances and some magic moments but nowhere near as many as Messi – certainly not in the quarters or semis. He had one bit of magic that led to the second goal against Morocco whereas
Messi has done incredible things throughout.
So the romantic in you will be rooting for Messi?
I think deep down, yes. I’ve just enjoyed his career so much and purely for him, I’d just love to see it because he’s given the game so much.
He has given me pleasure for nearly two decades. I’ve watched hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of his games and there’s never a match goes by, even on his quiet days, where he doesn’t do something where I think ‘how do you do that?’ I think it’d be perfect. France are a very good team and I don’t think it would affect what we think about Messi if he doesn’t win it. But if he wins, it’ll be the most beautiful finale to the most incredible career.
Finally, what are your hopes for today’s final?
I hope for a great game. I think we’ve had some great games in this World Cup; football-wise, it’s been really good. Possibly four years ago might have edged it in terms of thrilling matches, although we’ve had lots of late twists in this tournament – the Dutch coming back against Argentina in the last few minutes, the incredible Croatia comeback against Brazil, and big surprises early on. There’s also the prospering African nations – every single one of them winning a game and the brilliant performance of Morocco as the first African country to get to a semi-final. There have been lots of positives. Let’s hope we get a repeat of the game when these two teams met four years ago in the last 16 and it finished 4-3 to France. Maybe the other way round this time and a 90th-minute goal from Messi would be quite nice! But whichever side wins will deserve it.