PROFILE: Shy man Messi puts showman Cristiano Ronaldo in the shade

By Duncan Shaw May 28, 2009, 11:00 GMT

Madrid - The shy man put the showman into the shade - on the biggest possible stage and with the whole world watching.

Lionel Messi is the toast of world football after helping Barcelona to a 2-0 triumph over Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United in the European Champions League final on Wednesday.

The Argentine did not turn in the display of his life in Rome, partly because Barca coach Josep Gurdiola took him away from his habitual position on the right-wing and gave him a 'floating' role behind strikers Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry.

But what happened in the 70th minute of the final has given Messi a place in the history books.

Elegant Barca playmaker Xavi received the ball out on the right, just outside the United penalty area. He looked up and saw Messi, taking advantage of his free role, making a run towards the far post.

Xavi floated over a perfect centre between the United defenders and Messi, belying his lack of stature, rose high to meet it with a precise curling header that gave Edwin Van der Sar no chance at all.

2-0 to Barca and the beginning of the end for United.

It was Messi's ninth goal in this season's Champions League, making him the top scorer, and adding to his best-ever 23 Spanish Liga goals.

Afterwards, Messi was his usual shy, modest self, saying: 'We were all important tonight, not just me ... All of us played our part in different ways.'

Xavi was named man of the match as he controlled the midfield together with Andres Iniesta, but Messi featured very prominently as well as the match had been billed a showdown between the world's best footballers - himself and Ronaldo.

Ronaldo started the final brightly, but was thereafter well controlled by Barca's improvised defence and showed his frustration in several rustic tackles in the end.

Messi, 22 in June, is now well placed to win all of football's individual awards - and to knock Ronaldo off his perch as FIFA World Player.

Messi learned his football on the wastegrounds of the northern Argentine city of Rosario. He entered the youth sections of local club Newell's Old Boys at the tender age of nine, and soon caught the eye with his left-foot dribbling and fierce shooting.

Barcelona and other big European clubs soon heard about this tiny impish wizard, and lured him over to the Catalan capital in 2000 with the promise of a place at the club's famed youth academy 'La Masia', as well as a job for his father.

The Barca youth coaches worked hard to increase Messi's height, strength in the air and tactical awareness.

Coach Frank Rijkaard, who gave Messi his debut in 2004, had the brilliant idea of putting him out on the right wing instead of the left, encouraging him to cut in with his fleet-footed pacy dribbles.

The teenage Messi helped Barca to win La Liga in 2005 and 2006 but missed the 2006 Champions League win over Arsenal through injury. However, he did play for Argentina at the 2006 World Cup finals - and scored a classy goal in the destruction of Serbia. He was also instrumental in Argentina's Olympic gold 2008 in Beijing.

This season, Messi's contribution to Barca's unprecedented title treble has been massive.

He has scored 23 goals in La Liga, including three in the two defeats of Real Madrid, scored in the cup final against Athletic Bilbao - and in Wednesday's final against Manchester United.