Some of you obviously have no idea how soccer works. Talk about it like it's a sub-par sport that doesn't deserve attention or that the players aren't athletic. That is a load of bullshit, it's a huge load of bullshit.
Soccer is the biggest sport from a world wide stand point with 3-3.5 billion fans and 270 million people playing or working in the sport. That's 4% of the worlds population that plays or works in the game of futball. To laugh off a claim of US bias against soccer is ignorance at it's finest because it does exist, even in this thread.
If you're trying to say Messi doesn't belong on the list of greatest athletes that is crazy, the guy is in the top 10 for sure. He may not be number one but he is definitely top 10, I'd personally put him in the top 5. I don't know of any other sport where you are in constant motion for 45 straight minutes, or longer since a team can only use 3 subs throughout the whole game. The level of endurance soccer takes is akin to the those that run triathlons and on top of that the sport Messi plays is one where you can't use your hands. People seem to forget this or overlook it.
The dexterity, coordination, speed and awareness needed to do some of things he does with a ball on his feet while avoiding 10 defenders and leaving space for 9 teammates is amazing. Even more so when you realize that about 85% of the time he's going full speed while controlling the ball with his feet..
The fact that Messi has accomplished everything he has with a genetic disease that is a GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY he was diagnosed with at 11 is unreal.
This is what Messi had accomplished before the age of 24 (as of 2011 so I'm sure you can toss in quite a bit more):
Barcelona
La Liga Title (Spanish League Winner): 5 - 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
Copa del Rey (Tournament): 1 - 2008-09
Supercopa (Championship): 5 - 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011
UEFA Champions League: 3 - 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11
UEFA Super Cup (Championship): 2 - 2009, 2011
FIFA Club World Cup: 2 - 2009, 2011
Barcelona's All-Time Record Goalscorer: 238 goals
Barcelona Record Goalscorer: UEFA Champions League: 51 goals
Barcelona Record Goalscorer: European Competitions: 52 goals
Barcelona Record Goalscorer: International Competitions: 56 goals
Argentina (International Play)
FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1 - 2005
Olympic Gold Medal: 1 - 2008
Individual Awards
(FIFA) Ballon d'Or: 3 - 2009, 2010, 2011
FIFA World Player of the Year: 1 - 2009
World Soccer Player of the Year: 2 - 2009, 2011
World Soccer Young Player of the Year: 3 - 2006, 2007, 2008
ESM Team of the Year: 5 - 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
European Golden Shoe (Scoring Award): 1 - 2010
La Liga top goalscorer: 1 - 2010
Copa del Rey top goalscorer: 1 - 2011
La Liga Player of the Year: 3 - 2009, 2010, 2011
LFP Best Player: 3 - 2009, 2010, 2011
LFP Best Forward: 3 - 2009, 2010, 2011
La Liga Foreign Player of the Year: 3 - 2007, 2009, 2010
La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year: 4 - 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011
UEFA Champions League top goalscorer: 3 - 2009, 2010, 2011
UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: 1 - 2011
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 1 - 2009
UEFA Champions League Forward of the Year: 1 - 2009
UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match: 1 - 2011
UEFA Team of the Year: 4 - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Onze d'Or: 3 - 2009, 2010, 2011
Bravo Award: 1 - 2007
Tuttosport Golden Boy: 1 - 2005
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2 - 2009, 2011
FIFA U-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament: 1 - 2005
FIFA U-20 World Cup top goalscorer: 1 - 2005
Copa América Young Player of the Tournament: 1 - 2007
FIFPro World Young Player of the Year: 3 - 2006, 2007, 2008
FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 5 - 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Olimpia de Oro: 1 - 2011
Olimpia de Plata: 6 - 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Male Best Athlete in Latin America: 1 - 2011
Marca Leyenda: 1 - 2009
L'Équipe Champion of Champions: 1 - 2011