‘Until He Retires’ – Why Lionel Messi Will Remain ‘Best in the World’ as Ex-Barcelona Team-mate David Villa Delivers GOAT Billing

David Villa, Spain’s all-time leading goalscorer and former Barcelona striker, has delivered an emphatic declaration that has reignited football’s greatest debate: Lionel Messi remains the best player in the world and will continue holding that distinction until the day he hangs up his boots. This powerful endorsement from someone who played alongside the Argentine maestro during Barcelona’s golden era carries tremendous weight, as Villa witnessed firsthand the qualities that make Lionel Messi best in world football regardless of age, league, or circumstance.

The Spanish legend’s comments, made during a recent interview, underscore a perspective shared by numerous former teammates, opponents, and football experts who argue that Messi’s genius transcends conventional metrics of form, statistics, or competitive environment. Villa’s insistence that Lionel Messi best in world status remains unchallenged “until he retires” represents more than nostalgic loyalty to a former colleague—it reflects careful observation of Messi’s continued excellence at Inter Miami and recognition of qualities that separate the Argentine from every other player in football history.

The declaration that Lionel Messi best in world designation persists despite his move to Major League Soccer might seem controversial to some observers who equate player quality strictly with competition level. However, Villa’s argument rests on understanding that Messi’s greatness stems from innate abilities, football intelligence, and technical mastery that remain independent of which league he graces with his presence. The former Valencia, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid striker spent crucial years alongside Messi at Camp Nou, forming a devastating attacking partnership that terrorized defenses across Europe.

This intimate professional relationship provides Villa with unique insight into what makes Lionel Messi best in world football—perspectives unavailable to those who only observe from outside. Villa’s comments arrive at a fascinating moment in Messi’s career, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner thriving in American soccer while debates rage about whether players competing outside Europe’s elite leagues can legitimately claim “best in the world” status.

David Villa’s Credentials and Perspective

Understanding why David Villa’s endorsement that Lionel Messi best in world status persists carries such significance requires examining the Spanish striker’s own legendary career and the credibility he brings to football discourse. Villa scored 59 goals in 98 appearances for Spain, leading his nation to World Cup glory in 2010 and European Championship triumphs in 2008, establishing himself among the greatest Spanish players in history. His club career featured successful spells at Real Zaragoza, Valencia, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and New York City FC, accumulating titles, individual honors, and respect throughout global football.

Villa’s time at Barcelona from 2010 to 2013 coincided with perhaps the club’s most dominant period, playing alongside Lionel Messi during peak years when many consider the Argentine reached his absolute zenith. This proximity to Messi’s genius provides Villa with perspectives that pure statistics or external observation cannot capture. He witnessed Messi’s training ground dedication, tactical intelligence, leadership qualities, and the countless subtle aspects that make him exceptional beyond the highlight-reel goals and assists. When Villa declares Lionel Messi best in world regardless of circumstances, he speaks from direct experience of what separates Messi from other elite players.

The Spanish legend’s career also included facing Messi as an opponent during spells at Valencia and Atletico Madrid, experiencing from the opposition perspective the nightmare of trying to stop the Argentine. This dual vantage point—teammate and opponent—gives Villa comprehensive understanding of Lionel Messi best in world qualities from every angle. Few players in football history can claim such thorough exposure to Messi’s abilities, making Villa’s endorsement particularly authoritative within debates about the Argentine’s continuing status as football’s preeminent talent.

Villa’s post-retirement career has seen him remain deeply involved in football through coaching, media work, and ambassador roles, maintaining close connections with current developments in the game. His assessment that Lionel Messi best in world designation persists isn’t rooted in outdated perspectives from a bygone era but reflects ongoing observation of contemporary football and Messi’s continuing impact. Villa watches modern players across various leagues and competitions, comparing them against standards set by Messi during their time together and the Argentine’s sustained excellence since.

The Core Argument: Why Messi Remains Supreme

Villa’s central contention that Lionel Messi best in world status endures until retirement rests on several fundamental arguments about what defines greatness in football. The Spanish striker emphasizes that Messi’s superiority stems from qualities that don’t diminish with age or competition level—vision, technique, football intelligence, and an almost supernatural ability to influence matches through moments ordinary players cannot even imagine. These attributes, Villa argues, mean that even a 37-year-old Messi competing in MLS possesses capabilities exceeding those of younger players in supposedly superior leagues.

The argument that Lionel Messi best in world designation persists centers on distinguishing between physical attributes that decline with age and mental/technical qualities that can actually improve through experience. Villa points out that Messi never relied primarily on explosive pace or physical power—attributes that fade as athletes age. Instead, his game built on positioning, anticipation, technique, and decision-making reaches levels competitors cannot match regardless of their physical advantages. This means Messi’s aging process affects him differently than players whose games depend more heavily on physical attributes.

Villa also emphasizes the completeness of Messi’s game when discussing why Lionel Messi best in world status remains unassailable. The Argentine doesn’t merely excel in one or two aspects of football but demonstrates mastery across every dimension—dribbling, passing, shooting, vision, creativity, finishing, free kicks, and increasingly as his career progressed, playmaking and assists. This comprehensive excellence means Messi influences matches through multiple avenues, adapting his contributions based on what situations demand rather than depending on single strengths that opponents might neutralize.

The mental aspect of Messi’s greatness features prominently in Villa’s assessment of why Lionel Messi best in world billing persists. The Spanish striker describes Messi’s football IQ as transcendent, noting that the Argentine processes match situations at speeds others cannot approach. This cognitive superiority allows Messi to consistently make optimal decisions under pressure, execute techniques precisely when needed, and orchestrate team attacks with conductor-like authority. Villa argues these mental attributes don’t decline with age, potentially even improving as accumulated experience enhances Messi’s already extraordinary football understanding.

The Barcelona Years: Villa’s Direct Experience

David Villa’s period alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona from 2010-2013 provides the experiential foundation for his conviction that the Argentine remains supreme. Those years saw Barcelona dominate European football, winning La Liga titles and the Champions League while playing football many consider the most aesthetically pleasing and effective in sport’s history. Villa scored 48 goals in 119 appearances during this Barcelona spell, forming attacking partnerships with Messi and Pedro that terrorized opposition defenses across competitions.

Playing with Lionel Messi best in world qualities on daily display gave Villa insights unavailable to external observers. Training ground sessions revealed Messi’s dedication, professionalism, and continuous refinement of already extraordinary skills. Villa witnessed how Messi approached tactical preparation, studied opponents, and adapted his game based on specific match circumstances. These behind-the-scenes observations informed Villa’s understanding that Messi’s greatness stems from much more than natural talent—it reflects relentless commitment to excellence and continuous learning that persist regardless of age or setting.

The tactical education Villa received playing alongside Messi proved invaluable for understanding why Lionel Messi best in world status transcends normal competitive metrics. The Spanish striker learned to anticipate Messi’s movements, recognize spaces the Argentine would exploit, and position himself to capitalize on the chances Messi’s genius created. This intimate tactical connection demonstrated how Messi elevates teammates through his presence, making everyone around him more effective by creating space, attracting defensive attention, and delivering passes others cannot execute.

Villa’s recollections of specific matches and moments from their Barcelona partnership illustrate why he maintains Lionel Messi best in world conviction so strongly. He references countless examples of Messi producing magical moments that defied logic—impossible dribbles through packed defenses, visionary passes threading needles others wouldn’t perceive, goals from angles that seemed impossible. These experiences, repeated across multiple seasons at football’s highest levels, convinced Villa that Messi operates on a different plane from other players, a reality that doesn’t change simply because he now plies his trade in a different league.

Addressing the MLS Question

The most contentious aspect of claiming Lionel Messi best in world status persists involves his current competition in Major League Soccer, a league many European observers consider significantly inferior to top-tier European competitions. Villa directly addresses this skepticism, arguing that league quality doesn’t diminish Messi’s individual abilities or his standing as football’s premier talent. The Spanish striker contends that greatness transcends competitive context, and Messi’s performances at Inter Miami continue demonstrating qualities that would dominate in any environment.

Villa points out that Lionel Messi best in world designation never depended solely on statistics accumulated against specific opposition but rather on the manner in which he plays—the technique, vision, and football intelligence displayed regardless of opponent quality. Messi’s MLS performances showcase the same characteristics that made him unstoppable in La Liga and the Champions League: impossible dribbles, visionary passes, clutch goals, and match-controlling performances. These qualities, Villa insists, prove that even if Messi played in lesser leagues, his individual superiority would remain evident to anyone understanding football deeply.

The argument that Lionel Messi best in world claim requires competing in Europe’s top leagues reflects, in Villa’s view, superficial thinking about what constitutes greatness. Would Messi’s technique become less refined playing in MLS? Would his vision deteriorate? Would his football intelligence diminish? Villa answers these questions negatively, asserting that Messi’s core attributes that establish his superiority exist independent of competitive level. The Spanish striker draws parallels to artists or musicians whose genius persists regardless of venue—a virtuoso pianist doesn’t become less skilled performing in smaller concert halls rather than prestigious opera houses.

Villa also challenges the premise that MLS represents such inferior competition that dominating the league proves nothing about player quality. He notes that MLS features numerous internationals, experienced professionals, and improving infrastructure producing increasingly competitive football. While acknowledging MLS doesn’t match the Premier League, La Liga, or Champions League intensity, Villa argues the gap is smaller than European chauvinism suggests. More fundamentally, he insists that Lionel Messi best in world status would persist even if he played in significantly weaker competition because greatness manifests in how players execute skills, not merely statistical output against specific opponents.

The Statistical Evidence Supporting Villa’s Claim

While Villa’s endorsement that Lionel Messi best in world status endures rests primarily on qualitative assessments of the Argentine’s abilities, statistical evidence provides compelling support for this position. Messi’s numbers at Inter Miami, even accounting for MLS being a less competitive league, demonstrate productivity levels that few players anywhere approach. In his first full MLS season, Messi recorded goal contributions at rates that would be exceptional in any league, confirming Villa’s contention that the Argentine’s effectiveness transcends competitive environment.

The efficiency metrics surrounding Lionel Messi best in world arguments prove particularly revealing. Messi’s goals per 90 minutes, assists per 90, key passes, successful dribbles, and chance creation numbers at Inter Miami match or exceed rates he posted during peak Barcelona years. This statistical consistency across dramatically different competitive contexts supports Villa’s assertion that Messi’s abilities remain at previously established levels despite aging and changing leagues. If declining skills or inferior competition significantly affected Messi, statistical efficiency would show corresponding drops that haven’t materialized.

Advanced metrics that measure player contributions beyond basic statistics reinforce the Lionel Messi best in world designation Villa champions. Expected goals (xG) data, expected assists (xA), progressive passes, pass completion in final third, and other sophisticated measurements show Messi continuing to perform at elite levels across multiple dimensions. These numbers indicate that Messi doesn’t merely accumulate statistics against weaker opposition but genuinely influences matches through diverse contributions at rates few players anywhere manage.

Comparative analysis examining how other elite players performed when they moved to MLS or similar leagues provides additional statistical context for understanding Lionel Messi best in world claims. Many distinguished European players who joined MLS in their thirties experienced significant statistical drops compared to their European production, suggesting league quality affects most players noticeably. Messi’s ability to maintain or even exceed previous statistical outputs argues for exceptional sustained quality that validates Villa’s position about his continuing supremacy.

The GOAT Debate Context

Villa’s declaration that Lionel Messi best in world status persists until retirement arrives amid football’s endless “Greatest Of All Time” debates. The Spanish striker’s comments reflect his definitive position in these discussions: Messi stands alone as football’s ultimate player, and this status remains unchanged by his MLS move or approaching retirement. Villa’s GOAT endorsement carries weight given his career achievements, Barcelona experience alongside Messi, and comprehensive understanding of what constitutes footballing greatness.

The comparison between Lionel Messi best in world claims and Cristiano Ronaldo’s similar status inevitably features in these discussions. Villa navigates this delicate terrain diplomatically while ultimately asserting Messi’s superiority. He credits Ronaldo’s extraordinary achievements and longevity while maintaining that Messi’s natural ability, complete game, and aesthetic quality place him on a higher plane. Villa’s perspective as someone who competed against both legends extensively lends credibility to these comparative assessments.

Historical comparisons placing Lionel Messi best in world designation within broader football history form another dimension of GOAT debates Villa addresses. How does Messi compare to Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, and other historical legends? Villa acknowledges the difficulty of cross-generational comparisons while arguing that Messi’s sustained excellence across two decades, combined with his trophy collection and statistical dominance, creates the strongest case for any player claiming GOAT status. The Spanish striker suggests that Messi’s combination of longevity and peak performance surpasses even previous legends.

Villa also addresses contemporary players occasionally mentioned in Lionel Messi best in world discussions—Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior, and others representing football’s next generation. The Spanish striker respects these exceptional talents while maintaining that none currently possesses Messi’s complete mastery across all game aspects. Villa argues that while younger players may surpass Messi in specific attributes like pace or physicality, the comprehensive excellence and football intelligence that define Messi’s game remain unmatched.

The Age Factor: Defying Typical Decline

A crucial element of Villa’s argument that Lionel Messi best in world status persists involves the Argentine’s ability to defy typical aging patterns that affect most footballers. At 37 years old, Messi performs at levels that would be remarkable for players a decade younger, contradicting normal expectations about athletic decline. Villa attributes this to several factors: Messi’s game never relied heavily on physical attributes most affected by aging, his exceptional fitness and professionalism, and his capacity to adapt playing style to maximize strengths while minimizing age-related weaknesses.

The evolution of Lionel Messi best in world qualities across career phases illustrates his adaptability as age progresses. Early career Messi operated primarily as an explosive dribbler attacking spaces with devastating pace. Mid-career Messi developed into a more complete player combining dribbling with goalscoring and increasingly sophisticated playmaking. Current-phase Messi emphasizes playmaking, vision, and technique over pure acceleration, demonstrating intelligence to evolve his game optimally as physical capabilities gradually decline. Villa highlights this evolution as evidence of Messi’s football IQ and professionalism.

Comparative analysis of how other legendary players aged provides context for understanding the sustained Lionel Messi best in world status Villa champions. Most footballers experience significant decline by their mid-thirties, with physical deterioration affecting technical execution, decision-making speed, and overall influence. Messi’s relative lack of such decline—maintaining technical excellence, sharp decision-making, and match-controlling ability deep into his thirties—marks him as exceptional even among elite players. Villa suggests this unusual aging trajectory reflects both natural gifts and extraordinary professionalism.

The fitness regimen and lifestyle discipline that enable Lionel Messi best in world performances at 37 factor into Villa’s assessment. The Spanish striker notes Messi’s meticulous attention to diet, recovery, training, and overall physical maintenance—habits established early but refined continuously throughout his career. This professional approach to body maintenance helps explain how Messi defies typical aging curves, preserving capabilities that typically diminish as footballers approach forty. Villa argues these lifestyle choices demonstrate Messi’s commitment to sustaining excellence as long as physically possible.

Technical Mastery That Transcends Age

Villa emphasizes that Lionel Messi best in world designation fundamentally rests on technical abilities that don’t deteriorate with age in the manner physical attributes do. Messi’s ball control, first touch, dribbling technique, passing precision, and shooting accuracy derive from thousands of hours of practice creating muscle memory and instinctive execution. These technical skills, once mastered to Messi’s level, remain largely intact regardless of aging, explaining his sustained effectiveness despite physical changes.

The specific technical aspects of Lionel Messi best in world abilities that most impress Villa include his impossible close control in tight spaces, capacity to manipulate the ball at full speed, and precision executing passes or shots under pressure. The Spanish striker describes these technical elements as approaching perfection—levels other players simply cannot reach regardless of effort or practice. Villa suggests that Messi’s technical ceiling sits so far above football norms that even age-related decline still leaves him superior to competitors performing at their peaks.

Ball manipulation skills that make Lionel Messi best in world claims so compelling include his famous body feints, sudden direction changes, and ability to shield possession against multiple opponents simultaneously. Villa recalls countless training sessions and matches where Messi’s technical wizardry left teammates and opponents equally astonished. These aren’t luck or occasional brilliance but consistent demonstrations of technique mastered to levels others cannot approach. Age might reduce the frequency of such moments slightly, but Messi’s technical foundation remains superior to anyone currently playing.

The relationship between technical mastery and football intelligence in maintaining Lionel Messi best in world status forms another aspect Villa emphasizes. Messi’s technique allows execution of solutions his extraordinary vision perceives—spotting passes others don’t see matters only if possessing technical ability to execute them. Villa argues that Messi’s unique combination of seeing plays before they develop and possessing technique to execute these visions creates effectiveness that transcends normal competitive metrics or age-related physical changes.

Vision and Football IQ

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of Villa’s argument that Lionel Messi best in world status persists involves the Argentine’s supernatural vision and football intelligence. The Spanish striker describes Messi’s game-reading ability as operating at speeds and levels others cannot approach—seeing plays develop several seconds before they occur, recognizing patterns opponents haven’t shown yet, and understanding optimal solutions to tactical problems instantaneously. These cognitive abilities don’t decline with age, potentially even improving through accumulated experience.

The specific examples Villa cites of Lionel Messi best in world football intelligence include anticipating defensive movements before they occur, recognizing space that will open rather than merely existing space, and understanding teammates’ positioning instinctively without visual confirmation. These abilities allow Messi to execute seemingly impossible passes—threading balls through defensive lines others wouldn’t attempt because they don’t perceive the opportunity. Villa emphasizes that this vision represents perhaps Messi’s most unguardable quality since defending vision proves nearly impossible.

Decision-making speed distinguishes Lionel Messi best in world cognitive abilities from other elite players. Villa notes that football’s top level occurs at tremendous pace, with situations evolving split-seconds and decisions required instantaneously. Messi processes these situations faster than opponents or teammates, consistently making optimal choices while others remain steps behind mentally. This cognitive processing advantage means Messi operates effectively with less physical space and time than others require, compensating for any age-related physical decline through superior mental game.

The tactical sophistication supporting Lionel Messi best in world status impresses Villa particularly given that Messi never received formal tactical education matching some contemporaries. His understanding developed through playing experience, observation, and natural intelligence rather than systematic tactical coaching. Villa suggests this intuitive tactical mastery—knowing where teammates will be, where spaces will open, how defenses will react—reflects football genius that cannot be taught and doesn’t diminish with aging.

Leadership and Team Impact

Villa’s assessment that Lionel Messi best in world designation persists includes the Argentine’s leadership qualities and capacity to elevate teammates—dimensions sometimes overlooked when discussing Messi’s greatness. The Spanish striker witnessed firsthand at Barcelona how Messi’s presence transformed the team’s capabilities beyond his direct statistical contributions. Teammates played better with Messi on the pitch through combination of the attention he attracted, spaces he created, and confidence his presence instilled.

The specific ways Lionel Messi best in world impact manifests in team performance include how defenses adjust to contain him, inevitably creating space for teammates to exploit. Villa benefited enormously from this dynamic at Barcelona, receiving passes in dangerous positions because opponents committed multiple defenders to tracking Messi. This gravitational effect—where Messi’s mere presence warps defensive structures—provides teammates with advantages they wouldn’t otherwise enjoy. Villa argues this indirect contribution to team success reinforces Messi’s claim to best-in-world status beyond personal statistics.

Leadership evolution has seen Lionel Messi best in world status increasingly incorporate qualities beyond pure playing ability. Early career Messi led primarily through performance excellence, letting his football speak rather than vocal presence. Later-career Messi developed into a more demonstrative leader, particularly with Argentina’s national team, combining on-field excellence with emotional leadership and tactical guidance. Villa notes this leadership growth adds another dimension to Messi’s value, particularly valuable as he ages and accumulates wisdom to share with younger teammates.

The Inter Miami transformation following Messi’s arrival provides contemporary evidence of his team-elevating impact that supports Lionel Messi best in world claims. The club went from struggling near the bottom of MLS standings to winning the Leagues Cup and dramatically improving league performance with Messi’s addition. While skeptics attribute this purely to individual brilliance against inferior competition, Villa argues the systemic team improvement demonstrates Messi’s capacity to transform collective performance through leadership, tactical intelligence, and the psychological boost elite players provide struggling sides.

The Mental Strength Dimension

Villa’s conviction that Lionel Messi best in world status endures encompasses the Argentine’s extraordinary mental strength and competitive drive. The Spanish striker emphasizes that sustaining excellence across two decades requires psychological qualities matching physical and technical gifts. Messi’s ability to perform consistently under immense pressure, overcome setbacks, maintain motivation despite achieving everything possible in football, and continuously improve despite already being the best reflects mental fortitude Villa considers equally important as technical brilliance.

Pressure performance has been central to establishing Lionel Messi best in world credentials throughout his career. Villa recalls countless crucial matches where Messi delivered decisive contributions when stakes were highest—Champions League knockout stages, El Clasicos, World Cup matches, and other high-pressure scenarios. This consistency in pressure situations separates true greats from merely excellent players. Villa argues that Messi’s mental strength in these moments remains intact despite age, as psychological resilience doesn’t decline the way physical attributes do.

The competitive drive sustaining Lionel Messi best in world performances into his late thirties impresses Villa particularly given Messi has won virtually everything available in football. What motivates someone who has claimed eight Ballons d’Or, World Cup glory, multiple Champions League titles, and countless other honors to maintain training intensity and match commitment? Villa suggests Messi’s internal standards and pure love of football provide motivation transcending external validation or trophy accumulation. This intrinsic motivation ensures sustained excellence regardless of competitive context.

Resilience in handling criticism and pressure surrounding Lionel Messi best in world debates themselves demonstrates mental strength Villa highlights. Messi has endured scrutiny, criticism, and unrealistic expectations throughout his career—questioned about international trophy drought until recent success, compared obsessively to Ronaldo, held to impossible standards where anything less than perfection disappoints. Villa notes that handling this pressure while maintaining performance consistency requires extraordinary psychological strength that Messi possesses in abundance.

Contemporary Competition Analysis

Villa’s declaration that Lionel Messi best in world status persists necessarily involves comparing the Argentine to contemporary players competing for similar recognition. The Spanish striker acknowledges several exceptional current players while maintaining that none possesses Messi’s complete mastery across all game dimensions. This comparative analysis provides crucial context for understanding Villa’s emphatic “until he retires” conviction about Messi’s supremacy.

Kylian Mbappe represents perhaps the strongest challenge to Lionel Messi best in world claims among current players. The French superstar combines explosive pace, clinical finishing, and big-match performances that have established him as football’s premier young talent. Villa respects Mbappe’s exceptional qualities while arguing that even at his peak, the Frenchman doesn’t yet possess Messi’s complete game—particularly the playmaking, vision, and all-around influence Messi provides. Villa suggests Mbappe may eventually claim best-in-world status but hasn’t reached that level while Messi continues playing.

Erling Haaland‘s goal-scoring dominance generates discussion about whether pure finishing excellence could override other considerations in Lionel Messi best in world debates. The Norwegian’s remarkable goals-per-game ratios at Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City demonstrate elite finishing abilities possibly unmatched in current football. Villa acknowledges Haaland’s extraordinary goal-scoring while maintaining that football involves more than finishing—Messi’s complete game including creativity, passing, and playmaking creates value beyond Haaland’s more specialized excellence.

Other contemporary stars mentioned in Lionel Messi best in world discussions include Vinicius Junior, whose dribbling and big-match performances earned individual recognition, and Kevin De Bruyne, whose playmaking abilities compare favorably to anyone in football. Villa respects these exceptional talents while arguing that neither possesses Messi’s combination of technical mastery, vision, goal-scoring, creativity, and sustained excellence across multiple dimensions. The Spanish striker suggests current football features several brilliant players but none approaching Messi’s comprehensive superiority.

The Aesthetic Dimension of Greatness

An often-underappreciated aspect of Villa’s conviction that Lionel Messi best in world status endures involves aesthetic considerations—the beauty and artistry of how Messi plays football. The Spanish striker argues that greatness encompasses not just effectiveness but also the manner of achieving success. Messi’s combination of breathtaking skill, creativity, and entertainment value adds aesthetic dimensions to his claim on superiority that statistical analysis alone cannot capture.

The joy Messi generates through his playing style reinforces Villa’s belief in his continuing status as Lionel Messi best in world regardless of competitive level. Football ultimately exists as entertainment and art beyond mere competition, and Messi’s performances consistently provide aesthetic pleasure that transcends match outcomes. Villa suggests this artistic dimension represents legitimate criterion for assessing greatness—the capacity to make people love football through the beauty of one’s play. Messi excels at this artistic standard as thoroughly as competitive metrics.

Specific moments of aesthetic brilliance throughout Lionel Messi best in world career remain etched in Villa’s memory from their Barcelona partnership—impossible solo goals, vision passes that seemed telepathic, dribbles that defied physics and logic. These moments represent football as art, demonstrating creativity and imagination that elevate the sport beyond athletic competition into aesthetic experience. Villa argues these artistic capabilities remain intact despite Messi’s age or competitive environment, continuing to manifest in MLS as they did at Barcelona.

The cultural impact of Lionel Messi best in world performances extends beyond football fans to broader audiences captivated by his artistry. Villa notes that Messi’s highlights attract viewers with minimal football interest because his plays possess qualities recognizable as special even to casual observers. This universal appeal stems from aesthetic brilliance that communicates across cultural and sporting boundaries. Villa suggests this dimension of Messi’s greatness—the capacity to inspire awe in diverse audiences—reinforces his claim to best-in-world status transcending traditional sporting metrics.

Longevity and Sustained Excellence

The extraordinary longevity of Lionel Messi best in world status forms a crucial element of Villa’s argument for his continuing supremacy. Messi has maintained elite performance levels for nearly two decades—from emerging as a teenage prodigy in 2004-2005 through his current Inter Miami performances in 2024-2025. This sustained excellence across such extended periods distinguishes Messi from players who enjoyed shorter peaks regardless of how brilliant those peaks were.

Comparative analysis of other players’ career arcs illuminates why Lionel Messi best in world longevity proves so remarkable. Most footballers, even those reaching elite status, sustain peak performance for 4-6 seasons before inevitable decline. Messi has sustained peak or near-peak performance for approximately 15 seasons—a longevity that itself argues for unprecedented greatness. Villa emphasizes that anyone can have excellent seasons or even several elite years, but maintaining consistent excellence across two decades demonstrates qualities that separate Messi from all contemporaries and most historical figures.

The consistency of Lionel Messi best in world performances year after year, season after season, fascinates Villa particularly. Messi has avoided significant form slumps, serious injuries that derailed extended periods, or psychological issues that affected performance. This remarkable consistency reflects not just talent but also professionalism, mental strength, physical conditioning, and perhaps fortunate genetics. Villa argues this consistency makes Messi’s greatness even more impressive—not just peak heights but sustained elevation across enormous portions of his career.

Trophy accumulation across two decades provides another dimension to understanding Lionel Messi best in world longevity arguments. Messi has won major honors in three separate decades (2000s, 2010s, 2020s), adapting to different teammates, tactical systems, and competitive environments while maintaining trophy-winning impact. Villa suggests this success across evolving circumstances demonstrates versatility and adaptability that pure peak brilliance alone wouldn’t ensure. The combination of sustained individual excellence and continuous team success over 20 years creates an unmatched resume.

The World Cup Factor

Lionel Messi’s 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina represents perhaps the most significant development affecting his legacy and claims to best-in-world status. Villa emphasizes how this achievement removed the only significant gap in Messi’s resume, silencing critics who questioned his greatness based on international trophy drought. The Spanish striker argues that Messi’s World Cup success, combined with continuing club excellence, cements his position as Lionel Messi best in world regardless of subsequent career decisions.

The manner of Messi’s World Cup triumph—dominating performances throughout the tournament, scoring crucial goals including two in the final, and delivering under enormous pressure—particularly impressed Villa. The Spanish striker, himself a World Cup winner, understands the tournament’s unique pressures and how differently players handle these challenges. Messi’s ability to produce his best football at 35 years old in football’s most pressure-filled environment demonstrated mental strength and sustained quality that Villa cites when defending Lionel Messi best in world claims.

The emotional significance of the World Cup victory for understanding Lionel Messi best in world status extends beyond merely adding another trophy. Villa notes that this achievement represented personal redemption for Messi after multiple World Cup disappointments, demonstrating resilience and persistence over a decade of heartbreak. The capacity to continue believing, competing, and ultimately succeeding after repeated failures reveals character dimensions that complement technical abilities. Villa argues this psychological triumph enhances rather than merely adds to Messi’s claim on greatness.

How the World Cup success affects Lionel Messi best in world discussions about his MLS career proves particularly relevant to Villa’s arguments. Some skeptics suggest the World Cup represented a perfect ending, with subsequent Inter Miami performances diminishing legacy. Villa forcefully rejects this perspective, arguing that the World Cup victory freed Messi to pursue happiness without legacy pressure, and his MLS choice demonstrates priorities Villa respects. The Spanish striker maintains that Messi’s quality persists regardless of competitive level, and the World Cup merely confirmed what those close to him always knew.

Conclusion: Villa’s Definitive Verdict

David Villa’s emphatic declaration that Lionel Messi best in world status will endure until retirement represents more than nostalgic loyalty to a former teammate—it reflects careful observation of qualities that truly define footballing greatness. The Spanish legend’s conviction that competitive level cannot diminish Messi’s superiority challenges conventional thinking about how we assess player quality, arguing that true greatness transcends environmental factors to exist as inherent to the individual.

Villa’s perspective carries particular weight given his credentials as Spain’s all-time leading scorer, World Cup winner, and someone who experienced Messi’s genius from multiple vantage points—as teammate, opponent, and now as informed observer in retirement. The endorsement of Lionel Messi best in world continuing supremacy from someone who competed against and alongside the Argentine across numerous seasons represents expert testimony that casual opinions cannot easily dismiss.

The core of Villa’s argument—that Messi’s technical mastery, vision, football intelligence, and competitive drive remain intact despite age and league change—provides a robust framework for understanding why the Argentine might indeed remain supreme until hanging up his boots. These qualities that established Messi’s greatness don’t deteriorate in the manner physical attributes do, suggesting Villa’s conviction may prove prophetic as Messi potentially plays several more years while supposed rivals fail to close the comprehensive excellence gap.

Ultimately, Villa’s declaration that Lionel Messi best in world designation persists “until he retires” offers a definitive position in football’s most enduring debate. Whether observers agree depends partly on how they define greatness—pure competitive level and statistics, or the complete package of ability, intelligence, consistency, longevity, leadership, and aesthetic brilliance. Villa’s emphatic endorsement ensures the debate continues while providing powerful evidence that even at 37 in MLS, Messi remains football’s ultimate player.