OK, for the sake of discussion, and this is something I’ve thought about: can we really say Messi is all that influential if what he can do cannot be replicated by anyone else? Not just the level of his individual skills, but having so many and how he combines them.
I am not sure what your objection is here, normalizing per matches played is exactly the way to make this fair.
It might be a bit better if the ratio was G+A per minute rather than per game, or removing penalties (since not all the players here were penalty-takers for all or even any of their teams).
What would you prefer?
I don’t see hate yet and quite a ways down the thread, but so many comments talking about hate, underappreciation, and talking about Messi.
I always thought the same thing, but then again there are different ways to be influential.
I think it could be said he got more people into football - they wanted to learn to dribble, or score, or pass, or make plays like Messi. It doesn’t mean they would do it the same way or to the same level, but it made people strive.
Also, in this day and age of football Adonisis, he shows that you can be a super start without the body of a god or oozing charisma or attitude.