It’s often said that one man alone doesn’t make a football team. This, of course, is certainly true apropos the beautiful game in general, although there are probably a handful of players at most who could lay claim to being so influential for their side that their absence automatically diminishes the team beyond all recognition.
Take Lionel Messi, for example. Judging by Barca’s performance in overcoming Celtic in their Champions League match the other night, the little Argentinian is clearly more than simply a phenomenal goalscorer for the Catalans. It could be argued he’s also the entire focus of the team’s play, and therefore its degree of success is inextricably linked to his very presence.
Frankly, Barca without Messi at Celtic Park were a shadow of the team we have come to recognise as the best on the planet in recent seasons. Sure, they won the match, albeit only just, by a single goal margin. Sure, they enjoyed their usual territorial advantage for most of the ninety minutes. And sure, they enjoyed the bulk of possession for great swathes of play as per usual.
However, they also appeared disjointed on occasion, and, despite the presence of Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro and Neymar, they rarely troubled the Celtic rearguard all night. So comfortable did the Scottish champions appear for the most part, it took the dismissal of captain Scott Brown as the match entered its final stages before Barca were able to turn the screw, and ultimately fashion a winner.
In fact, even after Brown had left the pitch, Celtic should have scored, and you are left wondering whether they would have been able to secure their second win against the Spanish giants in as many years had they taken a glorious opportunity to do so.
Messi’s absence was acutely felt, and not just in serving to reduce the glamour associated with any match featuring the best footballer on the planet. Messi has become such a focal point for how Barca play, a point that is perhaps only fully recognised when he isn’t there. This appears ludicrous when you consider the world class talent on show within the team in general – but it’s undeniably true.
The same perhaps could be said of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid who, despite operating within a side of superstars, regularly dictates the ebb and flow of any match. And of course a strike record of a goal a game over 200 appearances supports the view that he isn’t exactly immune to plundering the goals either.
Celtic themselves know how much influence one man can have on a team. A decade or so ago, talisman striker Henrik Larsson achieved legendary status due to his ability to carry the team when it was off form, including some great European occasions, such as the run which took the club to the final of the 2003 UEFA Cup. Interestingly, when Larsson was out injured for a few months due to a broken leg, the Bhoys endured their worst run of results in a generation.
South of the border, Sir Alex Ferguson famously allowed Wayne Rooney to hold the club to ransom a few seasons back over his contract terms –the clear implication at the time was that Rooney was such a critical part of his team his every wish had to be accommodated. Not long after this, Robin van Persie’s signing by Manchester United was widely seen as the sole reason (particularly over the first half of the season) for the Old Trafford side’s reclaiming of the Premiership title last year.
There are doubtless other cases which could at least merit debate as to one man’s influence on his team’s success. Steven Gerrard’s performance in the Champions League final back in 2005? Gareth Bale’s contribution to the Tottenham cause for the past two years?
In Europe, what about Ronaldinho for Barca a few years ago? Or Ruud Gullit for AC Milan in the late 1980s. Not exactly on a par with messrs Messi and Ronaldo, but the principle is the same – if all players in a team are equal, some are more equal than others.
Perhaps world class status reflects the fact that certain players have that something, that ability to change the course of a match, a competition, a league campaign almost single-handedly.