It's gonna get Messi

Ok it's a terrible pun to open with but it could well be true. Everything is set for Lionel Messi to have a big impact at this summer's World Cup (well everything but the Argentine coach)

Messi is player named FIFA Player of the year before the age of 22 and has already broken all sorts of records at his club Barcelona since joining them as a youngster in 2000. At 17 years and 114 days old he made his league debut for Barca' in the 'o5-'06 season and since then he has only got better with each passing year.

And it is in the last couple of years that he has really begun to push on and become the talismanic leader of his club operating often as part of a fluid three man attack. In the season just gone he netted 47 times in 53 appearances and pretty much dismissed Arsenal in the Champions league by himself as he torn the Gunners apart.

Quick, full of trickery and with the ability to pick out killer passes alongside a high level of shooting ability Messi does seem to have it all. But yet it's fair to say despite his excellent recent form he can still be prone to letting himself be marked out of a game (see the Champions Leagues semi final games against Inter) and this that lead to a underwhelming world cup, epically since Maradona's chosen formation doesn't lend itself to Messi's strengths asking him to play deeper down the field.

Still the big players rise to the big occasions and this little man is a big player.