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As Messi wins the biggest prize that eluded him for his whole career, for many fans, he also settles the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) debate, once and for all. While undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game, the FIFA World Cup trophy-sized hole in his cabinet was often cited as the biggest gap in his career. Not anymore. Like his footballing predecessor, Diego Maradona, Messi has shepherded his football-crazy country to the pinnacle of the world game.

 Argentina’s Lionel Messi, holding the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament, kisses the World Cup trophy at the end of the Fifa World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

The G.O.A.T debate is football’s most contested conversation, eliciting strong opinions and a lot of disagreement. Often, due to fan loyalties, the debate pushes people to extreme positions, pedestalising one player while diminishing another. Ultimately, there is no objective metric to compare the “greatness” of players spanning across generations and situations. What is possible to do, however, is to have a conversation that respects footballing context before making an informed opinion.
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