Messi Magic in World Cup 2014!

Sheer brilliance is one thing, but sheer brilliance taking you on to do something as mammoth as win a World Cup — now that's something else altogether. No one in their right minds will ever say Messi's over-rated. If someone does, that man is an idiot. You can say that about Neymar, Ronaldo (the ass, not the legend), etc etc. But Messi? No way.

But Messi has a greater shadow to outrun. That of the original badass, Maradona. The skills of both are unparalleled, the strain on Messi's career is already a lot more extreme. But Maradona had the ability to take the team all the way — and when all else failed, Maradona would drag the ball alone from one end of the field to the other — and score! Today is Messi's greatest challenge. Today, he is the only thing standing between an all-European final in a Latin American country. Argentina started off strong, but with Messi himself not netting the ball since the Group matches, the momentum is crashing. They've have barely managed to scrape through since the Swiss, if the ball hadn't ricochet of the feet of Kompany then Argentina would have been seeing penalties against Belgium too. Yes, they're defence is slightly better than Brazil, but the two teams have the same issues. If Messi doesn't rise to the occasion today, then a clinical Netherlands will dominate. Today is Messi's day...rather, today needs to be Messi's day. Yes, the whole team needs to play, but Messi needs to rise today. This is the last WC were Messi will more or less be playing in his absolute prime. And this WC is at home, more or less. This WC needs to be his salvation and secure his place up there with Gods of the game — like Beckenbauer, Pele, Zidane, and of course, Maradona. 0130, here comes Messi!