Most beautiful team?

Day -916. WorldCup2018

It may not be World Cup related, but it is a Fifa event. More importantly Barcelona get recognition today for providing another reminder as to why they may be one of the most beautiful football teams ever. Earlier they won the Fifa World Club Cup for the third time. As ever they were an attacking joy to watch and their 3-0 win against River Plate could have been a lot higher. Not since Brazil in 1982 has it been so much fun to watch a team play football. Unlike that Brazil team, this team is actually winning something, again and again.

The three players who, especially, make the team an attacking work of art all have good World Cup stories. Messi, the little Argentinian magician, for many years now regarded as the world's best player, has had 2 disappointing World Cups where he failed to perform at the same incredible levels as his predecessor of football magic, Diego Maradona. Messi was guilty of an un-Messi like miss in last year's World Cup final where Argentina lost to Germany. Maybe Russia will be his stage to shine on. Messi scored the first goal today.

Messi's two partners in crime, the crime being the torture of opposing defenders, Neymar and Suarez were also very influential today. Suarez scored twice and Neymar had 2 assists. Suarez, if it need be reminding of, was banned from football for 4 months after Brazil 2014 for biting Giorgio Chellini, the Italian defender in Uruguay's crucial win over Italy. When he came back he had not lost any of his predatory skills, and if anything looked even sharper. And Neymar, of course, was Brazil in 2014. He was the man. And he led by example until the vertebrae-breaking tackle in the quarter final which ended his and Brazil's hopes. They were a lost team in the semi final. And nobody needs reminding of what happened in that match.

May they carry on for many more more years, the three of them and this wonderful team. And in 2018 what will they be able to do for their countries?