Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Talent Bolstered by an Undaunting Work Ethic

Lionel Messi, regarded as the world's best soccer player, led his Barcelona squad to a crucial victory over Arsenal in the Champions League. This New York Times article details the dramatic style and flare of one of his two goals which shows why they call it "the beautiful game".

Rob Hughes of the Times also notes that it's not just Messi's God given talent and ability that make him the best player in the world, it's his undaunting work ethic:

One of the keys is Messi’s genius. Another is the work ethic that Messi, and all the rest of Barcelona’s players, display. It is almost as if they enjoy running as much as they enjoy caressing the ball, and it is a built-in response, honed in the academy of La Masia, that the instant a Barça player
loses possession, he, or the nearest player to the ball, hunts it down like a ferret.

I know of no player, past or present, who has witnessed a greater amalgam of talent and persistence throughout one team.

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