DAVID GORMAN examines the influence of those magical players that get fans on the edges of their seats – and put opponents on their backsides...

Messi

Hazard

ONE of the undoubted joys of modern football is watching the ball at Lionel Messi’s feet.
The best description of it is that of a magnet – the ball sticks to him while it is agonisingly beyond the grasp of everyone else. It’s like he’s toying with his opponents.
After Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final, Leicester defender Robert Huth acknowledged the ...