Lionel Messi: World's Best Footballer in 2009? Is Barcelona's Argentinian Star Now Better than Cristiano Ronaldo?

Lionel Messi, adored by the Camp Nou faithful, has been in the form of his lfe this season. The Argentinian wonder has featured in individual player accolade lists over the last two seasons, recently coming second to Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo for the Fifa World Player of the Year. Nevertheless, the player has already been touted by many football experts to overtake Ronaldo as the world's best footballer next year.

Spellbinding SeasonMessi has been nothing short of outstanding so far this season, in a team boasting some of the world's finest players, namely Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o, Yaya Toure and Carlos Puyol. He has 21 gols in 23 games, where 1 goal in 2 games is normally considered exceptional. Afer trailing 2-1 this season to Osasuna, in a game Barcelona dominated from kick-off, Messi rescued the Catalan giants with a spectacular individual goal, with the eventual result 3-2 to Barcelona. Messi's goal was typical of his importance for his club, thrusting them to victory. Undoubtedly, it is Messi's input that has placed Barcelona 12 points above their nearest rivals, Real Madrid, in La Liga. Not only has he scored a sensational number of goals for his club this season, including 2 hat-tricks, his number of assists is one of the highest for any player in the division. Quite simply, without Messi on the field, Barcelona lose a significant percentage of their attacking prowess. He is the catalyst that separates them from a good, formidable opponent, to a team that strikes fear into any opposition. If Barcelona maintain a fit Messi for the remainder of this season's campaign, it will be no surprise to see a clean sweep, La Liga, the Champions League and maybe a domestic cup or two.

Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo, recent winner of virtually everything there is to win as a player, is the only man that stands between Messi and being recognised universally as the world's greatest player next year. The Portuguese hitman has already stated his desire to retain his status as football's golden boy. Although this season Ronaldo hasn't played to his usual high standard of the 2008 Champions League winning campaign, he has recently started to once again dazzle the terraces of Old Trafford, with a string of consistent displays.

Nevertheless, even if Ronaldo improves on his near superhuman performances of last season, if Lionel Messi comtinues to produce his current form, it is difficult to see past the Argentinian playmaker. There are many differences between the two players, as well as similarities. They are both exceptional with the ball at their feet, quite capable of creating a goal-scoring opprtunity seemingly out of nothing. They can both run at players with relative ease, great readers of a game's flow and not least, they both have a ferocious shot on goal. However, where Ronaldo has an advantage in the air, fantastic at corners, often scoring goals with his head, Messi appears to be more fluent and reliable with the ball at his feet, always either producing a cross, threading a pass through a defence or beating his marker. Percentage-wise the Argentinian also has a much better shots-on-target accuracy than Ronaldo.

What it will likely come down to, is the Champions League. It is more often than not Europe's top club prize that decides the fate of the best player accolades. In 2006 Ronaldinho hauled Barcelona to victory over Arsenal, thereafter winning World Player of the Year. 2007 saw Kaka beat Ronaldo, after he led AC Milan to glory, including an excellent display over Manchester United in the semi-finals. This tie was seen by many as the deciding factor over who would become the best player player in the world, Ronaldo or Kaka. Kaka was resoundingly seen to humble his Portuguese counterpart.

It was Ronaldo who inspired Manchester United to their Champions League victory over Chelsea last season, and should Barcelona advance far in this year's competition, or as is widely expected in football circles, win it, Messi will undoubtedly be at the heart of their success, and with that success it is likely that he will finally claim the position of the world's best footballer.