For us Argentina fans, we've seen a bunch of players being labelled "The next MARADONA". It happened with TEVEZ, AIMAR, RIQUELME and a few others. But no one has come as close as MESSI. Game after game for Barcelona he's scored goals and provided assists and at times single handidly won matches for them. In short, he's Barcelona's hero. However, if one was to take a quick glance at Lionel's statistics with Barcelona and that with the National Team, you wouldn't say it's the same player. People constantly argue and bash this kid from Rosario because he isn't scoring goals for fun with Argentina, but let's take a look at the Top 10 goalscoring lists for the Albicelestes.

1. Gabriel BATISTUTA
56 Goals, 78 Matches

2. Hernan CRESPO
36 Goals, 64 Matches

3. Diego MARADONA
34 Goals, 91 Matches

4. Luis ARTIME
24 Goals, 25 Matches

TIED FOR 5th PLACE
5. Leopoldo LUQUE
22 Goals, 45 Matches

TIED FOR 5th PLACE
5. Daniel PASSARELLA
22 Goals, 70 Matches

TIED FOR 7th PLACE
7. José SANFILIPPO
21 Goals, 29 Matches

TIED FOR 7th PLACE
7. Herminio MASANTONIO
21 Goals, 19 Matches

9. Mario KEMPES
20 Goals, 43 Matches

TIED FOR 10th PLACE
10. Norberto MENDEZ
19 Goals, 31 Matches

TIED FOR 10th PLACE
10. José Manuel MORENO
19 Goals, 34 Matches

TIED FOR 10th PLACE
10. René PONTONI
19 Goals, 19 Matches

2007 was a big year for La Pulga in terms of goal scoring with the NT. And I'm crediting that to the formation Basile used(well basically continued from what Pekerman started) as well as the players around him. I know statistics don't always show the truth, but 6 goals in 2007 with the National Team isn't bad at all. At times, he's come up pretty clutch for us, scoring when needed(Uruguay at home, Venezuela away and Colombia away, even if we did lose that match). Not to mention against Spain where the defence was absolutely horrible(even if it was a penalty, he was calm under whatever pressure there was and scored it).

We can all sit here, chat and pass the bucket when it comes to debating on MESSI not showing up with the National Team, but MESSI is only 6 goals away from entering the Top 10 goalscoring in the history of the NT and he's only 22. Only 6... and he isn't even an out and out striker. What about the other #10's that we've had or players that were supposed to lead this team to glory? ORTEGA, D'ALESSANDRO, AIMAR, RIQUELME, anyone? Fact is, none of them can single handidly(or were single handidly able) to lead the team to glory like MARADONA did. Nor should they have to do it alone. They need to have the right players and the right formations to succeed. Right now, Messi isn't surrounded with that.

Guaranteed if TEVEZ doesn't get red carded in those two games which cost us valuable points and if he scores that penalty against Ecuador, all this talk about MESSI not showing up with the National Team wouldn't be where it's at today. Not because MESSI isn't underachieving, but because those mistakes by TEVEZ made it that much more difficult for the team to qualify for the World Cup. So naturally, the blame goes to the person who's supposed to be your best player. It was the case with VERON in 2002, RIQUELME and now MESSI. Let's not forget MESSI is the #10 and with this #10 comes great responsibility and pressure. The pressure got to ORTEGA, it got to RIQUELME and so on. Did MESSI ask to be the #10? Last I heard, he initially said no, but later accepted. So of course he deserves some of the blame, but to be in the position he is in now(in terms of pressure) at that age, people need to realise it's incredibly tough. Especially when you have your own fans turning against you(no one here on the blog in particular, just people in Argentina).

Is the pressure getting to MESSI? No doubt, but it doesn't mean he doesn't care about doing well with the National Team. Some people here in the past have talked about MESSI's passion and commitment for the National Team. I'm pretty sure if he didn't care about the team, he wouldn't have taken time off during the beginning of the season to go to Argentina and train for the match against Brazil. I'm sure if he didn't care, he wouldn't have went to the Olympics. And I'm sure that if he didn't care, he would have accepted Spain's offer to play for them instead of playing for Argentina. Go back and watch the match against Germany from this month(as boring as it was) and you'll see MESSI getting frustrated with the game when he almost gets himself red carded. The first was a yellow card for a harsh and late tackle in the second half. Or how about when he jumped to try and stop/control the ball with his hands? I'm sure if he didn't mind not doing well with Argentina he wouldn't have risked getting himself red carded.

Some people need to wake up and realise that whether they like it or not, our best shot at the moment for us to win the World Cup is for MESSI to flip the switch, grab this team from the hell hole it's in(or from the lowest point this team has been in ages... whichever analogy you prefer) and lead it to victory.