‘There's a big asterisk on Messi's name’ – Former Premier League star explains why Argentine can not be the greatest ever.

The former England international has proclaimed that Messi should not be considered one of football's greats.

Former Premier League midfielder Joey Barton has sparked controversy once again by suggesting that Lionel Messi's illustrious career should come with an asterisk due to his treatment for a growth hormone deficiency as a child.

Barton puts asterisk on Messi's legacy.

On his Common Sense Podcast, Barton suggested that Messi's exceptional skill was tainted by his childhood medical treatment for a growth hormone deficiency. According to Barton, this treatment gave Messi a genetic advantage over other players, calling into question his title as one of the best footballers of all time.

"He's asterisk though for me. There's a big asterisk on Messi's name for me, because he got on the steroids and all that at a young age to mess with his growth," Barton stated on his podcast, continuing, "Messi's been genetically modified at a young age, so there has to be an asterisk next to his name."

The growth hormone controversy

Barton further questioned the legitimacy of Messi's achievements, adding, "Messi was given growth hormone and all kinds of medications to help him grow. As far as I know, no one else has done that. So, if you'd have left him grow naturally and left him on the roast dinners - or whatever - he wouldn't have been big enough to end up what he's ended up doing.

Barton's claims originate from Messi's diagnosis of a growth hormone deficit at the age of ten and the subsequent medical therapy he got.

While Messi's family struggled to finance the expensive therapy, his father eventually arranged a trial for him at Barcelona, where the club's medical experts assisted him in overcoming his health difficulties and launching his remarkable career. Still, Barton argues that Messi's early medical intervention provided him with an unfair advantage.

https://www.pulsesports.ng/football/story/theres-a-big-asterisk-on-messis-name-former-premier-league-star-explains-why-argentine-can-not-be-the-greatest-ever-2024050410524189343

https://www.pulsesports.ng/football/story/theres-a-big-asterisk-on-messis-name-former-premier-league-star-explains-why-argentine-can-not-be-the-greatest-ever-2024050410524189343

Great100000:
E be like say something is wrong with this Barton.

It's his perspective.


Not so bad to look at things from that angle too.


But what is important is what Messi ended up achieving with his incredible talent.

Great100000:
E be like say something is wrong with this Barton.

Make he go give him children steroids na.. Make we see if dem go make professional football talkless of being messi.. myschew

Cristiano Ronaldo will always be my all time favourite. The guy's pure class. Anyone who's clearly favoured by the establishment over his rivals cannot be considered as the greatest.

I see. Since Joey Barton eats loads of food from GMO I meals all these years, his ability to speak ane analyse fluently is due to the lab modified seed influenced meals

The day I confirm Messi na the day he drill Liverpool for camp nou. That long range free kick was magical. It was like God almighty was controlling Messi with a PlayStation controller. Shame his teammates let him down at Anfield.
That guy is the greatest attacker to play this game.
Nobody comes close. Ronaldo is not even better than delima and Ronaldinho. Football is much more than tap-in.

Nobody knows the exact details of that therapy on Messi so you cannot argue that it did not give him superhuman agility & reflexes on the pitch.

And the way FIFA protects him shows they must have invested in the Messi project too. More like he was a project created to draw huge followership and money to FIFA.

From the final of that 2005 Youth World cup against Mikel, Taye Taiwo & co to the Barca of 08-14 & Argentina of 14-22, the protection was just too much.


Really suspicious.

Are we sure that even Joey hasn't been hit on the head with a 'Barton' to make him reason this way?

killsmith:
The day I confirm Messi na the day he drill Liverpool for camp nou. That long range free kick was magical. It was like God almighty was controlling Messi with a PlayStation controller. Shame his teammates let him down at Anfield.
That guy is the greatest attacker to play this game.
Nobody comes close. Ronaldo is not even better than delima and Ronaldinho. Football is much more than tap-in.

In football quality only and data, what does Ronaldinho or Delima have over CR7?

He Is definitely one of the greatest if not the greatest

Achieving all these feat in the midst of iconic footballers like Ronaldo makes him even more exceptional

thesicilian:
Cristiano Ronaldo will always be my all time favourite. The guy's pure class. Anyone who's clearly favoured by the establishment over his rivals cannot be considered as the greatest.

Cristiano Ronaldo class?

🤣🤣😁😁

That cry baby with tons and tons of bad behavior, indiscipline and selfishness...


Maybe you chose the wrong adjective to describe him.

Cristiano might be everything in their life but definitely not class.

CuriousCart:
Nobody knows the exact details of that therapy on Messi so you cannot argue that it did not give him superhuman agility & reflexes on the pitch.

And the way FIFA protects him shows they must have invested in the Messi project too. More like he was a project created to draw huge followership and money to FIFA.

From the final of that 2005 Youth World cup against Mikel, Taye Taiwo & co to the Barca of 08-14 & Argentina of 14-22, the protection was just too much.


Really suspicious.

Elaborate on these protections!!

No worry yourself Joewie Barton..

Whenever we say he is not human you think we are joking?
When we say he is God you think we are joking?
When we say he is out of this world you think we are joking?
When we say he does magic you think we are joking?

😁😁😁😁

Dey play!

ddippset:
Elaborate on these protections!!

You should have been watching football in those years I quoted & not BBNaija.

CuriousCart:


You should have been watching football in those years I quoted & not BBNaija.

Is this supposed to be a diss line??



You badly need a ghostwriter mehn..

ddippset:
Is this supposed to be a diss line??



You badly need a ghostwriter mehn..

This just sums up the level of indomie in you.
No wonder you don't have any idea of Messi's 05-14 years.

CuriousCart:



This just sums up the level of indomie in you.
No wonder you don't have any idea of Messi's 05-14 years.

An indomie with sense is better than an agbaya without sense.

A fool at 40 is a fool till their grave...

No better proof of this theory than your old self.