"Unbelievable or Just a Dream? Was MSN The Greatest Trio Football Has Ever Known?"

 

"Unbelievable or Just a Dream? Was Messi, Suarez, Neymar The Greatest Trio Football Has Ever Known?"

-Shadman Samir 22299133

In the past decade, one of the most notable achievements of modern football in the eyes of both fans and football experts is the trio consisting of Messi, Suarez, and Neymar, a “three-headed monster” dubbed MSN by supporters around the world. Many refer to this period in football as the “MSN era”, as the three superstars of the Hispanophone world caused a stir in the game. Fans had never seen such levels of performance and success in combination before. So the biggest question today is, was MSN the greatest trio of attackers football had and will ever witness, or did they just have plenty of luck and the perfect circumstances?

The Team's Success

During Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar's time in Barcelona, they won seven titles: two La Liga trophies, one Copa del Reys, one Champions League title, one FIFA World Club Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one Spanish Super Cup. It was an impressive haul, even if the team was immensely talented in those years, it wasn’t easy to achieve this kind of success. This speaks to the team’s success and the potential of MSN as a threat. 

In terms of records, MSN also achieved greatness. They set a new La Liga record for most goals scored in a single season, with 118, and they also set a new record for most consecutive games scoring at least three goals, with eight matches. MSN had become a symbol of excellence, with the trio being featured on the cover of Fifa 16, one of the most successful sports games of all time.

Style of Play

MSN’s style of play was different from other attacking trios that football has seen. Other teams in the past tended to rely more on through passes and quick counter-attacks as a primary weapon, while MSN used intricate passing, positional play, and dribbling to create their chances. This style allowed for a more creative and free-flowing attack, something that was evident in the impressive goals they scored. This led to analysts dubbing Barcelona’s system build-up“tiki-taka”, after the number of quick one-touch passes the team used in their build-up play.

The system was extremely effective and allowed for the unique chemistry of the three players to be on full display. Messi, Suarez, and Neymar all had different strengths and abilities, allowing for them to be meshed together perfectly to create a lethal attacking force. Former Real Madrid player Xabi Alonso said that the trio’s presence on the field made them feel as if “they were playing a different game compared to everyone else.”  Without the trio’s different playing styles, it would have been impossible for them to create the chances they produced and the goals they scored. 

Individual Contributions 

When discussing individual contributions, it's easy to see the talent of each of the three attackers. Messi provided his usual genius, incredible dribbling, and leadership. At the same time, Suarez was lethal in front of goal and an intelligent link-up player, and Neymar was direct, explosive, and always provided another goal threat. Between the three of them, they created a structural triangle in attack, something that was crucial in building up their success.

Messi particularly stood out, scoring 78 goals in 83 appearances while being one of the leaders of the team. His vision, passing, and dribbling were all at the top level and his goals were mesmerizing. Suarez scored 64 goals in his 83 outings for Barcelona and was instrumental in allowing Messi and Neymar to create their chances. He was a threat from all areas and contributed a great deal to the team's success. Finally, Neymar was a constant goal threat and his incredible skill and control were an asset to the team. His goal-scoring wasn't as impressive as Messi and Suarez, but that was due to him mostly being used as an off-the-bench option and being a secondary option going forward. 

Equally important to the team’s success was the great chemistry between the three players. Despite being arguably the most expensive football transfer ever, the three players seemed to have immediately clicked on and off the field. This chemistry was evident in MSN’s performances, with them constantly looking for each other in attack and always able to make each other look better due to their understanding of each other’s style of play. In an interview with ESPN, former Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez described the trio as having “incredible understanding and telepathy” that allowed them to adjust their game and tactics according to the situation.

What the world has to say

Former Barcelona coach, Luis Enrique, is full of praise for MSN and what it meant for Barcelona. Enrique says, "They did unprecedented things for Barcelona… Over this period we won 11 out of a possible 12 titles which is what makes them so indelible in our memory. I look back at those three years with a great sense of pride."

Many current footballers were influenced by MSN, or have been inspired by their performances, and have tried to emulate them. One such player is Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. In an interview, Salah said that he “took a lot of inspiration from Messi, Suarez, and Neymar”, adding that “they are three of the greatest players in the world, and watching them play together was a privilege”. Salah’s words are indicative of just how much impact MSN had on the footballing world, and how they managed to inspire a whole new generation of players.

Football analysts would all agree that MSN was one of the greatest attacking trios of all time, especially given the immense success that they had during their time at Barcelona. Although the trio has now been disbanded and the three superstars have gone their separate ways, the impact that MSN had on football is still felt today. 

However, some football analysts have argued that the attacking trios of bygone eras were also very good in their own right. British football pundit Mark Lawrenson has stated that Liverpool's SAS trio, consisting of Luis Suarez (no relation) Daniel Sturridge, and Raheem Sterling, were just as good as MSN. Similarly, former Inter Milan player Luis Figo had expressed his belief that the Inter Milan team of the early 2000s which contained Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Adriano, and Christian Vieri was just as capable as MSN. Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has doubts of his own. "We had players playing together for a long time and at the highest level - Henry, Pires, Ljungberg, Bergkamp, and Van Persie,” he notes. “That was an unbelievable partnership." 

My two cents

However, the question remains: were Messi, Suarez, and Neymar the greatest attacking trio that football has ever seen? Before answering this question, it is important to note that MSN achieved a level of success that had never been seen before in football and that was largely due to their individual as well as collective brilliance. Messi, Suarez, and Neymar was simply unstoppable during their time at Barcelona, and their impact on the team is still felt today. Furthermore, their ability to work together so effectively made them even more dangerous. 

It is impossible to ignore the impact, legacy, and sheer talent that Messi, Suarez, and Neymar had during their time at Barcelona. The trio achieved extraordinary heights that no other attacking trident has been able to match in the history of football. After looking at their incredible statistics and the unique playing style of Barcelona’s attacking trio, it’s difficult to deny that MSN is one of, if not the greatest, attacking trio of all time. Their success on the field, their contributions, and the incredible chemistry between them contributed to a truly magical time for Barcelona and will be talked about for years. Therefore, in my opinion, I believe that the MSN trio was, is, and will always remain the greatest attacking trio that football has ever seen.