An old soccer adage tells us that all goals count the same. A howitzer from 40-yards, a rabona from the corner or an own goal off the defender’s ass, each will be rewarded with a solitary point. Soccer doesn’t discriminate. Unless you’re on the training ground. In that case, training ground goals don’t really count for anything.
We missed this, man. We really did. And now he's back, scoring amazing goals that only Messi (and to an extent only Barcelona) can score.
Barcelona obliterated Roma 6-1 in his first start and second game back, and he tallied two goals and an assist. Luis Suarez also scored twice and Gerard Pique and Adriano also scored.
Messi's first goal since injuring his knee in September came after a build-up of 29 straight passes from Barca, a Champions League record.
Barcelona didn't have to twist the knife. But they did.
Leading Real Madrid 3-0 in the Bernabeu, and making a powerful statement in the first Clasico of the year, the Blaugrana could have easily killed the game off and returned to Catalonia the triumphant victors, the clear favorites in La Liga and the masters of El Clasico.
James Rodriguez led his Colombia squad through an epic keepy-uppy bin challenge ahead of their World Cup qualifying clash against Argentina on Tuesday. If you haven't seen one of these challenge videos before, it's a pretty simple concept.
A group of players move the ball in an orderly fashion, never letting it touch the ground, using only their heads. After everyone in the rotation has headed the ball, the final player must head the ball into an empty waste bin.
It's all going great for Chicharito Hernandez right now.
Even though he didn't score during Mexico's World Cup qualifiers (he ended up not needing to, as Mexico won both games), Hernandez has been in ridiculous form for his club, Bayer Leverkusen.
He has 11 goals in 15 games for Leverkusen after a Brace this weekend against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Is there anything more dramatic in the sport of soccer than a direct free kick? The referee marching off the ten yards, exuberantly laying down the vanishing spray while the entire stadium holds its collective breath, anticipating the immaculate strike. Step forward the dead ball specialist.
But who is the best in the world? Who, after going through the melodrama of scrutinizing the stationary ball and plastering their facial features with the look of ingrained concentration, actually sticks the ball in the back of the net with some regularity?
Mexico is off to an auspicious start in its World Cup qualifying group, defeating El Salvador at home 3-0 and Honduras away 2-0. What will come as a pleasant surprise to Mexico fans is how well El Tri's youngsters have played in the two games.
Everyone knows how good Jesus "Tecatito" Corona can be, the Porto winger having flashed his considerable potential on numerous occasions, but his goal to put Mexico ahead of Honduras on Tuesday was something special.
England vs. France was more than a game because it was just a game.
When the legions of fans who packed Wembley Stadium burst into the French national anthem, nobody cared what the outcome of the game was going to be.
WATCH: Wembley Stadium joins in on singing French national anthem, La Marseillaise, ahead of kickoff. #ENGvFRA https://t.co/A33fVM237x
Messi is so good he’s automatic. When he plays you know that no one is going to really be able to stop him; sure he might mess up, but the amount of times he’s going to be tackled, have his pass intercepted or take a bad shot are too few to mention. It’s hard to balance incredibly ability, unpredictability, and consistency in the way Messi has. That balance is what has made Messi the player he is today, and that balance is manifested in Messi’s signature pass.
Was there a more entertaining footballer to watch than Ronaldinho? Sure you could say Messi or Ronaldo, or plenty of other players. But honestly, are they really more exotic or creative on the pitch than Ronaldinho? Do they have that unmistaken flair? I don't think so. Obviously those two players are in a class of their own, and do things on the pitch that no one else can (I have to say this so people don't think I'm taking a knock at Leo or CR7. You know how the internet is). But looking at Dinho, he did it all, and this video shows that. He had speed, strength and finesse.