The Scott Ruscoe Column: Leo Messi proved he was among the best in Spurs clash

I’m glad I recorded it though so I can see how good everyone tells me he was, and that he single-handed carried his team in that game.

He’s their talisman – everything they do is through him.

Every forward pass is to him which is exactly what you would do if you had him in your side.

You’ve seen the goals he’s scored and the ones that he’s created too.

The main message that’s come out of that night is that Messi really is the best player to have played the game.

I’ve not been lucky enough to see him live; I was debating to go watch Argentina in their World Cup build-ups when they played at Manchester City but when I knew he wasn’t playing, I didn’t.

But it’s one thing I’m going to do before he retires, to watch him play.

He’s magical and he light up the games – he’s the one person you should want to see live.

People have suggested we’re seeing more of individual brilliance because he doesn’t have the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta any more.

But I think they’ve still got plenty of quality and it’s maybe that Messi just feels like he should step up to the plate and be that one the team needs.

But he did that anyway with the best of Barcelona and all their great players and that’s not going to change.

He’s getting older and knows what he’s got in the tank is diminishing, with his little injuries, but he’s fantastic to watch, albeit on the telly for me. Every time he gets on the ball, he’s great to watch and you expect something to to happen.

There’s very few players where you have that.

The few in the Premier League who can, i.e. Eden Hazard or Mo Salah, aren’t on the same level as him.

He’s been so consistently good when others have to raise their level to match him. Look at his goals record, which has got better and better.

Whenever there’s talk about players taking his throne, he always seems to step up his level again.