Who is the greatest footballer in the world? Simple question; its either Messi or Ronaldo. Though really, the voting is pretty much over. Ronaldo is a brilliant footballer but is seldom named alongside the Peles and Maradonas and Cruyffs in ‘best player ever’ context. Whereas Messi is.

But all is not well and lovely in the lives of these 2 megastars of immense mega-ness and super-stardom. A girl has named Ronaldo as her sexual abuser and rapist 10 years ago. He took her to a hotel room and ‘allegedly’ didn’t heed her shouts of NO! Though he is Portuguese and maybe didn’t understand the language. She was raped. Allegedly. Ronaldo denies all such actions and is shocked and saddened by the horrific nature of that type of crime. I almost believed him, on the basis that I’ve always reckoned he’s gay. But that may just be my own misunderstanding. So they’re now investigating this historic crime. And it shed light on the fact that the young lady in question was given the sum of $375,000 and an injunction to keep Shtum. Which, I grant you, is a slightly odd thing for a totally innocent man to do, but we don’t question. Especially as its only about 4 days wages for Christiano.

Messi too is no innocent. He too is guilty of a sustained and continuous assault in Wembley last night, and what you’d have to call the ‘rape’ of a perfectly good football team. What other term could be chosen to describe being royally fucked, totally against your will, despite repeated and constant protestations to STOP!??

Those who were at Wembley last night to witness this abuse against the team they all love, oddly feel privileged to have been there. Watching a man (no longer a ‘boy’ he’s 31 now, even though he still looks 12, plus the tattoos) at the very top of his game. And to put that in context, ‘his game’ has always been 10 times better than anyone else’s so he has a very high baseline.

I wasn’t there. I was watching another little person. Even smaller than Messi. And she was asleep anyway, I just like watching.

Since 1970 I’ve viewed Pele as the greatest player ever, probably the greatest that there ever could be. But every time I watch Messi I see that crown slipping his way.

Happy Thursday

A xxxx